Sample records for acid mixture polyamine

  1. 40 CFR 721.6220 - Aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture, polyamine condensate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.6220 Aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture, polyamine condensate. (a... generically as an aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture, polyamine condensate (PMN P-91-584) is subject to...

  2. 40 CFR 721.6220 - Aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture, polyamine condensate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.6220 Aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture, polyamine condensate. (a... generically as an aryl sulfonate of a fatty acid mixture, polyamine condensate (PMN P-91-584) is subject to...

  3. 40 CFR 721.6200 - Fatty acid polyamine condensate, phosphoric acid ester salts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fatty acid polyamine condensate... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.6200 Fatty acid polyamine condensate, phosphoric acid... substances identified as fatty acid polyamine condensate, phosphate ester salts (PMNs P-90-1984 and P-90-1985...

  4. 40 CFR 721.6200 - Fatty acid polyamine condensate, phosphoric acid ester salts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fatty acid polyamine condensate... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.6200 Fatty acid polyamine condensate, phosphoric acid... substances identified as fatty acid polyamine condensate, phosphate ester salts (PMNs P-90-1984 and P-90-1985...

  5. Polyamines are Inhibitors of Gastric Acid Secretion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ray, Tushar K.; Nandi, Jyotirmoy; Pidhorodeckyj, Nykolai; Meng-Ai, Zhou

    1982-03-01

    The naturally occurring organic polycations such as spermine and spermidine inhibit histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion by bullfrog gastric mucosa in vitro; spermine is much more potent than spermidine. Unlike the H2 receptor antagonists, the polyamines are completely ineffective from the nutrient side and are effective only from the secretory side of the chambered mucosa. The polyamine effects could be reversed by increasing K+ concentration in the secretory solution. Studies with isolated gastric microsomal vesicles demonstrate that the polyamines do not inhibit the gastric H+,K+-ATPase but greatly decrease the ATPase-mediated uptake of H+ under appropriate conditions. For the latter effects the presence of polyamine within the vesicle interior was found to be essential. Our data strongly suggest an uncoupling of the gastric H+,K+-ATPase system by the polyamines. The therapeutic potential of these and similar compounds in the treatment of hyperacidity and peptic ulcer is discussed.

  6. Polyamine sensitization in offshore workers handling drilling muds.

    PubMed

    Ormerod, A D; Wakeel, R A; Mann, T A; Main, R A; Aldridge, R D

    1989-11-01

    Oil-based mud, a complex mixture containing amines in emulsifiers, is used in offshore drilling operations. It is a skin irritant that occasionally gives rise to allergic contact sensitivity. In patch testing patients with allergy to drilling mud, we have identified polyamine (diethylenetriamine and triethylenetetramine) sensitivity in 5 patients. All 5 patients were also allergic to emulsifiers. These emulsifiers are cross-linked fatty acid amido-amines, in which unreacted amine groups are thought to cross-sensitize with these constituent polyamines. Cross-reactivity between ethylenediamine, diethylenetetramine and triethylenetetramine was found in 9 subjects.

  7. Phytomonas: transport of amino acids, hexoses and polyamines.

    PubMed

    Canepa, Gaspar E; Carrillo, Carolina; Armesto, Arnaldo R; Bouvier, León A; Miranda, Mariana R; Pereira, Claudio A

    2007-09-01

    Phytomonas cells (Phytomonas Jma) isolated from the latex of Jatropha macrantha were assayed for amino acid, hexose and polyamine transport. Results showed high transport rates for glucose and fructose (193 and 128 pmol min(-1) 10(-7) cells, respectively) and lower, but significant rates, for proline, arginine, cysteine and glutamate (between 1.7 and 5.8 pmol min(-1) 10(-7) cells). Minor transport activities were observed for serine, glycine and aspartate (<1 pmol min(-1) 10(-7) cells). Amino acid transport processes do not seem to be regulated by starvation or during the growth phases. Polyamine transport was also evaluated showing a clear preference for spermidine over putrescine (3.4 and 0.4 pmol min(-1) 10(-7) cells, respectively). This work represents the first report on metabolite transport in phytomonads.

  8. Nanoparticle strategies for cancer therapeutics: Nucleic acids, polyamines, bovine serum amine oxidase and iron oxide nanoparticles (Review).

    PubMed

    Agostinelli, Enzo; Vianello, Fabio; Magliulo, Giuseppe; Thomas, Thresia; Thomas, T J

    2015-01-01

    Nanotechnology for cancer gene therapy is an emerging field. Nucleic acids, polyamine analogues and cytotoxic products of polyamine oxidation, generated in situ by an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, can be developed for nanotechnology-based cancer therapeutics with reduced systemic toxicity and improved therapeutic efficacy. Nucleic acid-based gene therapy approaches depend on the compaction of DNA/RNA to nanoparticles and polyamine analogues are excellent agents for the condensation of nucleic acids to nanoparticles. Polyamines and amine oxidases are found in higher levels in tumours compared to that of normal tissues. Therefore, the metabolism of polyamines spermidine and spermine, and their diamine precursor, putrescine, can be targets for antineoplastic therapy since these naturally occurring alkylamines are essential for normal mammalian cell growth. Intracellular polyamine concentrations are maintained at a cell type-specific set point through the coordinated and highly regulated interplay between biosynthesis, transport, and catabolism. In particular, polyamine catabolism involves copper-containing amine oxidases. Several studies showed an important role of these enzymes in developmental and disease-related processes in animals through the control of polyamine homeostasis in response to normal cellular signals, drug treatment, and environmental and/or cellular stress. The production of toxic aldehydes and reactive oxygen species (ROS), H2O2 in particular, by these oxidases suggests a mechanism by which amine oxidases can be exploited as antineoplastic drug targets. The combination of bovine serum amine oxidase (BSAO) and polyamines prevents tumour growth, particularly well if the enzyme has been conjugated with a biocompatible hydrogel polymer. The findings described herein suggest that enzymatically formed cytotoxic agents activate stress signal transduction pathways, leading to apoptotic cell death. Consequently, superparamagnetic nanoparticles or other

  9. 40 CFR 721.10188 - Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with 4-methyl-2-pentanone and aliphatic polyamine...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction... Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with 4-methyl-2-pentanone and aliphatic polyamine (generic). (a... generically as fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with 4-methyl-2-pentanone and aliphatic polyamine (PMN...

  10. 40 CFR 721.10188 - Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with 4-methyl-2-pentanone and aliphatic polyamine...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction... Fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with 4-methyl-2-pentanone and aliphatic polyamine (generic). (a... generically as fatty acids, tall-oil, reaction products with 4-methyl-2-pentanone and aliphatic polyamine (PMN...

  11. Biotechnological production of polyamines by bacteria: recent achievements and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Jens; Wendisch, Volker F

    2011-07-01

    In Bacteria, the pathways of polyamine biosynthesis start with the amino acids L-lysine, L-ornithine, L-arginine, or L-aspartic acid. Some of these polyamines are of special interest due to their use in the production of engineering plastics (e.g., polyamides) or as curing agents in polymer applications. At present, the polyamines for industrial use are mainly synthesized on chemical routes. However, since a commercial market for polyamines as well as an industry for the fermentative production of amino acid exist, and since bacterial strains overproducing the polyamine precursors L-lysine, L-ornithine, and L-arginine are known, it was envisioned to engineer these amino acid-producing strains for polyamine production. Only recently, researchers have investigated the potential of amino acid-producing strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum and Escherichia coli for polyamine production. This mini-review illustrates the current knowledge of polyamine metabolism in Bacteria, including anabolism, catabolism, uptake, and excretion. The recent advances in engineering the industrial model bacteria C. glutamicum and E. coli for efficient production of the most promising polyamines, putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane), and cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane), are discussed in more detail.

  12. Ornithine: at the crossroads of multiple paths to amino acids and polyamines

    Treesearch

    Rajtilak Majumdar; Rakesh Minocha; Subhash Minocha

    2015-01-01

    After the 20 amino acids that make up the proteins in all living organisms, ornithine perhaps occupies the most critical position among the non-protein amino acids. It sits at the crossroads of interconversions of glutamate and arginine on the one hand and the production of proline, polyamines and several alkaloids on the other: all products of tremendous importance to...

  13. How polyamine synthesis inhibitors and cinnamic acid affect tropane alkaloid production.

    PubMed

    Marconi, Patricia L; Alvarez, María A; Pitta-Alvarez, Sandra I

    2007-01-01

    Hairy roots of Brugmansia candida produce the tropane alkaloids scopolamine and hyoscyamine. In an attempt to divert the carbon flux from competing pathways and thus enhance productivity, the polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors cyclohexylamine (CHA) and methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG) and the phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase inhibitor cinnamic acid were used. CHA decreased the specific productivity of both alkaloids but increased significantly the release of scopolamine (approx 500%) when it was added in the mid-exponential phase. However, when CHA was added for only 48 h during the exponential phase, the specific productivity of both alkaloids increased (approx 200%), favoring scopolamine. Treatment with MGBG was detrimental to growth but promoted release into the medium of both alkaloids. However, when it was added for 48 h during the exponential phase, MGBG increased the specific productivity (approx 200%) and release (250- 1800%) of both alkaloids. Cinnamic acid alone also favored release but not specific productivity. When a combination of CHA or MGBG with cinnamic acid was used, the results obtained were approximately the same as with each polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor alone, although to a lesser extent. Regarding root morphology, CHA inhibited growth of primary roots and ramification. However, it had a positive effect on elongation of lateral roots.

  14. Amino acid substrates impose polyamine, eIF5A, or hypusine requirement for peptide synthesis.

    PubMed

    Shin, Byung-Sik; Katoh, Takayuki; Gutierrez, Erik; Kim, Joo-Ran; Suga, Hiroaki; Dever, Thomas E

    2017-08-21

    Whereas ribosomes efficiently catalyze peptide bond synthesis by most amino acids, the imino acid proline is a poor substrate for protein synthesis. Previous studies have shown that the translation factor eIF5A and its bacterial ortholog EF-P bind in the E site of the ribosome where they contact the peptidyl-tRNA in the P site and play a critical role in promoting the synthesis of polyproline peptides. Using misacylated Pro-tRNAPhe and Phe-tRNAPro, we show that the imino acid proline and not tRNAPro imposes the primary eIF5A requirement for polyproline synthesis. Though most proline analogs require eIF5A for efficient peptide synthesis, azetidine-2-caboxylic acid, a more flexible four-membered ring derivative of proline, shows relaxed eIF5A dependency, indicating that the structural rigidity of proline might contribute to the requirement for eIF5A. Finally, we examine the interplay between eIF5A and polyamines in promoting translation elongation. We show that eIF5A can obviate the polyamine requirement for general translation elongation, and that this activity is independent of the conserved hypusine modification on eIF5A. Thus, we propose that the body of eIF5A functionally substitutes for polyamines to promote general protein synthesis and that the hypusine modification on eIF5A is critically important for poor substrates like proline. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research 2017.

  15. Amino acid substrates impose polyamine, eIF5A, or hypusine requirement for peptide synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Byung-Sik; Katoh, Takayuki; Gutierrez, Erik; Kim, Joo-Ran; Suga, Hiroaki

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Whereas ribosomes efficiently catalyze peptide bond synthesis by most amino acids, the imino acid proline is a poor substrate for protein synthesis. Previous studies have shown that the translation factor eIF5A and its bacterial ortholog EF-P bind in the E site of the ribosome where they contact the peptidyl-tRNA in the P site and play a critical role in promoting the synthesis of polyproline peptides. Using misacylated Pro-tRNAPhe and Phe-tRNAPro, we show that the imino acid proline and not tRNAPro imposes the primary eIF5A requirement for polyproline synthesis. Though most proline analogs require eIF5A for efficient peptide synthesis, azetidine-2-caboxylic acid, a more flexible four-membered ring derivative of proline, shows relaxed eIF5A dependency, indicating that the structural rigidity of proline might contribute to the requirement for eIF5A. Finally, we examine the interplay between eIF5A and polyamines in promoting translation elongation. We show that eIF5A can obviate the polyamine requirement for general translation elongation, and that this activity is independent of the conserved hypusine modification on eIF5A. Thus, we propose that the body of eIF5A functionally substitutes for polyamines to promote general protein synthesis and that the hypusine modification on eIF5A is critically important for poor substrates like proline. PMID:28637321

  16. Polyamines and fatty acids in sucrose precultured banana meristems and correlation with survival rate after cryopreservation.

    PubMed

    Ramon, Mathew; Geuns, Jan M C; Swennen, Rony; Pannis, Bart

    2002-01-01

    Polyamines and fatty acids were studied in proliferating meristem cultures of 3 banana cultivars with high (Cachaco), medium (Williams Bronze free) and low (Mbwazirume) survival rates after cryopreservation. A 2-week preculture on medium containing 0.4 M sucrose which is essential to obtain survival after cryopreservation resulted in increased polyamine levels, especially putrescine. This increase in putrescine content was positively correlated with the survival rate after simple freezing or after vitrification. The total fatty acid content also increased after a 0.4 M sucrose pretreatment. However, only the ratio of unsaturated/saturated fatty acids correlated positively with the survival rate after cryopreservation. This is the first report showing a correlation of both putrescine increase and level of unsaturation of membrane lipids after sucrose treatment with survival rate after cryopreservation.

  17. Neuromodulation by Mg2+ and polyamines of excitatory amino acid currents in rodent neurones in culture.

    PubMed

    Kumamoto, E

    1996-12-01

    Excitatory amino-acid currents in rodent central neurones are mediated by the activation of glutamate receptors. Ionotropic types of the receptors are divided into alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and the former two are collectively called non-NMDA receptors. The NMDA receptor is modulated by a number of endogenous neuromodulators including Mg2+, polyamines, glycine and protons in extracellular solutions. Although it has been generally thought that each of the neuromodulators acts on a distinct site in the NMDA receptor, recent studies have revealed that these actions may be not necessarily independent of each other. The NMDA receptor response is not only inhibited but also potentiated by Mg2+, and the latter action is due to an interaction of a Mg2+ site with either glycine- or proton-binding site. In the presence of polyamines, a tonic inhibition by protons of the NMDA receptor response is relieved, resulting in a potentiation of the response. Alternatively, it has been recently revealed that there are some subtypes of non-NMDA receptors which are negatively modulated by polyamines in either extra- or intra cellular solutions. The difference in polyamine sensitivity among non-NMDA receptors is attributed to a distinction in their constituted subunits. The inhibition of non-NMDA receptor by intracellular polyamines results in inward rectification of the current-voltage relation which is not seen for polyamine-insensitive ones. This polyamine action is not mimicked by intracellular Mg2+.

  18. Polyamines in plant physiology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Galston, A. W.; Sawhney, R. K.

    1990-01-01

    The diamine putrescine, the triamine spermidine, and the tetramine spermine are ubiquitous in plant cells, while other polyamines are of more limited occurrence. Their chemistry and pathways of biosynthesis and metabolism are well characterized. They occur in the free form as cations, but are often conjugated to small molecules like phenolic acids and also to various macromolecules. Their titer varies from approximately micromolar to more than millimolar, and depends greatly on environmental conditions, especially stress. In cereals, the activity of one of the major polyamine biosynthetic enzymes, arginine decarboxylase, is rapidly and dramatically increased by almost every studied external stress, leading to 50-fold or greater increases in putrescine titer within a few hours. The physiological significance of this increase is not yet clear, although most recent work suggests an adaptive, protective role. Polyamines produced through the action of ornithine decarboxylase, by contrast, seem essential for DNA replication and cell division. The application of exogenous polyamines produces effects on patterns of senescence and morphogenesis, suggesting but not proving a regulatory role for polyamines in these processes. The evidence for such a regulatory role is growing.

  19. Host-guest inclusion system of glycyrrhetic acid with polyamine-β-cyclodextrin: Preparation, characterization, and anticancer activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Zhi; Qin, Qi; Liao, Xiali; Yang, Bo

    2017-12-01

    The inclusion complexation behaviors of glycyrrhetic acid (CTA) with four polyamine-modified β-cyclodextrins (CDs) have been investigated by 1H and 2D NMR, thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray power diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that Glycyrrhetic acid was encapsulated into the cavity of cyclodextrin to form the complexes with 1:1 stoichiometry. The water solubility of GTA was significantly enhanced by inclusion complexation with polyamine-modified β-cyclodextrins. The calculated IC50 values indicated that the antitumor activities of inclusion complexes were better than that of GTA. Satisfactory aqueous solubility, along with high thermal stability of inclusion complexes will be potentially useful for their application on the formulation design of natural medicine.

  20. Transgenic manipulation of a single polyamine in poplar cells affects the accumulation of all amino acids

    Treesearch

    Sridev Mohapatra; Rakesh Minocha; Stephanie Long; Subhash C. Minocha

    2010-01-01

    The polyamine metabolic pathway is intricately connected to metabolism of several amino acids. While ornithine and arginine are direct precursors of putrescine, they themselves are synthesized from glutamate in multiple steps involving several enzymes. Additionally, glutamate is an amino group donor for several other amino acids and acts as a substrate for biosynthesis...

  1. Polyamines Regulate Strawberry Fruit Ripening by Abscisic Acid, Auxin, and Ethylene.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jiaxuan; Wang, Shufang; Yu, Xiaoyang; Dong, Rui; Li, Yuzhong; Mei, Xurong; Shen, Yuanyue

    2018-05-01

    Polyamines (PAs) participate in many plant growth and developmental processes, including fruit ripening. However, it is not clear whether PAs play a role in the ripening of strawberry ( Fragaria ananassa ), a model nonclimacteric plant. Here, we found that the content of the PA spermine (Spm) increased more sharply after the onset of fruit coloration than did that of the PAs putrescine (Put) or spermidine (Spd). Spm dominance in ripe fruit resulted from abundant transcripts of a strawberry S -adenosyl-l-Met decarboxylase gene ( FaSAMDC ), which encodes an enzyme that generates a residue needed for PA biosynthesis. Exogenous Spm and Spd promoted fruit coloration, while exogenous Put and a SAMDC inhibitor inhibited coloration. Based on transcriptome data, up- and down-regulation of FaSAMDC expression promoted and inhibited ripening, respectively, which coincided with changes in several physiological parameters and their corresponding gene transcripts, including firmness, anthocyanin content, sugar content, polyamine content, auxin (indole-3-acetic acid [IAA]) content, abscisic acid (ABA) content, and ethylene emission. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we found that FaSAMDC also had a high enzymatic activity with a K d of 1.7 × 10 -3 m In conclusion, PAs, especially Spm, regulate strawberry fruit ripening in an ABA-dominated, IAA-participating, and ethylene-coordinated manner, and FaSAMDC plays an important role in ripening. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  2. Polyamine Transporters and Polyamines Increase Furfural Tolerance during Xylose Fermentation with Ethanologenic Escherichia coli Strain LY180

    PubMed Central

    Geddes, Ryan D.; Wang, Xuan; Yomano, Lorraine P.; Miller, Elliot N.; Zheng, Huabao; Shanmugam, Keelnatham T.

    2014-01-01

    Expression of genes encoding polyamine transporters from plasmids and polyamine supplements increased furfural tolerance (growth and ethanol production) in ethanologenic Escherichia coli LY180 (in AM1 mineral salts medium containing xylose). This represents a new approach to increase furfural tolerance and may be useful for other organisms. Microarray comparisons of two furfural-resistant mutants (EMFR9 and EMFR35) provided initial evidence for the importance of polyamine transporters. Each mutant contained a single polyamine transporter gene that was upregulated over 100-fold (microarrays) compared to that in the parent LY180, as well as a mutation that silenced the expression of yqhD. Based on these genetic changes, furfural tolerance was substantially reconstructed in the parent, LY180. Deletion of potE in EMFR9 lowered furfural tolerance to that of the parent. Deletion of potE and puuP in LY180 also decreased furfural tolerance, indicating functional importance of the native genes. Of the 8 polyamine transporters (18 genes) cloned and tested, half were beneficial for furfural tolerance (PotE, PuuP, PlaP, and PotABCD). Supplementing AM1 mineral salts medium with individual polyamines (agmatine, putrescine, and cadaverine) also increased furfural tolerance but to a smaller extent. In pH-controlled fermentations, polyamine transporter plasmids were shown to promote the metabolism of furfural and substantially reduce the time required to complete xylose fermentation. This increase in furfural tolerance is proposed to result from polyamine binding to negatively charged cellular constituents such as nucleic acids and phospholipids, providing protection from damage by furfural. PMID:25063650

  3. Stabilization of nucleic acids by unusual polyamines produced by an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus

    PubMed Central

    2005-01-01

    Extreme thermophiles produce two types of unusual polyamine: long linear polyamines such as caldopentamine and caldohexamine, and branched polyamines such as quaternary ammonium compounds [e.g. tetrakis(3-aminopropyl)ammonium]. To clarify the physiological roles of long linear and branched polyamines in thermophiles, we synthesized them chemically and tested their effects on the stability of ds (double-stranded) and ss (single-stranded) DNAs and tRNA in response to thermal denaturation, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry. Linear polyamines stabilized dsDNA in proportion to the number of amino nitrogen atoms within their molecular structure. We used the empirical results to derive formulae that estimate the melting temperature of dsDNA in the presence of polyamines of a particular molecular composition. ssDNA and tRNA were stabilized more effectively by tetrakis(3-aminopropyl)ammonium than any of the other polyamines tested. We propose that long linear polyamines are effective to stabilize DNA, and tetrakis(3-aminopropyl)ammonium plays important roles in stabilizing RNAs in thermophile cells. PMID:15673283

  4. Polyamine transporters and polyamines increase furfural tolerance during xylose fermentation with ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain LY180.

    PubMed

    Geddes, Ryan D; Wang, Xuan; Yomano, Lorraine P; Miller, Elliot N; Zheng, Huabao; Shanmugam, Keelnatham T; Ingram, Lonnie O

    2014-10-01

    Expression of genes encoding polyamine transporters from plasmids and polyamine supplements increased furfural tolerance (growth and ethanol production) in ethanologenic Escherichia coli LY180 (in AM1 mineral salts medium containing xylose). This represents a new approach to increase furfural tolerance and may be useful for other organisms. Microarray comparisons of two furfural-resistant mutants (EMFR9 and EMFR35) provided initial evidence for the importance of polyamine transporters. Each mutant contained a single polyamine transporter gene that was upregulated over 100-fold (microarrays) compared to that in the parent LY180, as well as a mutation that silenced the expression of yqhD. Based on these genetic changes, furfural tolerance was substantially reconstructed in the parent, LY180. Deletion of potE in EMFR9 lowered furfural tolerance to that of the parent. Deletion of potE and puuP in LY180 also decreased furfural tolerance, indicating functional importance of the native genes. Of the 8 polyamine transporters (18 genes) cloned and tested, half were beneficial for furfural tolerance (PotE, PuuP, PlaP, and PotABCD). Supplementing AM1 mineral salts medium with individual polyamines (agmatine, putrescine, and cadaverine) also increased furfural tolerance but to a smaller extent. In pH-controlled fermentations, polyamine transporter plasmids were shown to promote the metabolism of furfural and substantially reduce the time required to complete xylose fermentation. This increase in furfural tolerance is proposed to result from polyamine binding to negatively charged cellular constituents such as nucleic acids and phospholipids, providing protection from damage by furfural. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  5. POLYAMINE OXIDASE 1 from rice (Oryza sativa) is a functional ortholog of Arabidopsis POLYAMINE OXIDASE 5.

    PubMed

    Liu, Taibo; Wook Kim, Dong; Niitsu, Masaru; Berberich, Thomas; Kusano, Tomonobu

    2014-01-01

    POLYAMINE OXIDASE 1 (OsPAO1), from rice (Oryza sativa), and POLYAMINE OXIDASE 5 (AtPAO5), from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), are enzymes sharing high identity at the amino acid level and with similar characteristics, such as polyamine specificity and pH preference; furthermore, both proteins localize to the cytosol. A loss-of-function Arabidopsis mutant, Atpao5-2, was hypersensitive to low doses of exogenous thermospermine but this phenotype could be rescued by introduction of the wild-type AtPAO5 gene. Introduction of OsPAO1, under the control of a constitutive promoter, into Atpao5-2 mutants also restored normal thermospermine sensitivity, allowing growth in the presence of low levels of thermospermine, along with a concomitant decrease in thermospermine content in plants. By contrast, introduction of OsPAO3, which encodes a peroxisome-localized polyamine oxidase, into Atpao5-2 plants could not rescue any of the mutant phenotypes in the presence of thermospermine. These results suggest that OsPAO1 is the functional ortholog of AtPAO5.

  6. Cytotoxicity of polyamines to Amoeba proteus: role of polyamine oxidase.

    PubMed

    Schenkel, E; Dubois, J G; Helson-Cambier, M; Hanocq, M

    1996-02-01

    It has been shown that oxidation of polyamines by polyamine oxidases can produce toxic compounds (H2O2, aldehydes, ammonia) and that the polyamine oxidase-polyamine system is implicated, in vitro, in the death of several parasites. Using Amoeba proteus as an in vitro model, we studied the cytotoxicity to these cells of spermine, spermidine, their acetyl derivatives, and their hypothetical precursors. Spermine and N1-acetylspermine were more toxic than emetine, an amoebicidal reference drug. Spermine presented a short-term toxicity, but a 48-h contact time was necessary for the high toxicity of spermidine. The uptake by Amoeba cells of the different polyamines tested was demonstrated. On the other hand, a high polyamine oxidase activity was identified in Amoeba proteus crude extract. Spermine (theoretical 100%) and N1-acetylspermine (64%) were the best substrates at pH 9.5, while spermidine, its acetyl derivatives, and putrescine were very poorly oxidized by this enzyme (3-20%). Spermine oxidase activity was inhibited by phenylhydrazine (nil) and isoniazid (approximately 50%). Mepacrine did not inhibit the enzyme activity at pH 8. Neither monoamine nor diamine oxidase activity (approximately 10%) was found. It must be emphasized that spermine, the best enzyme substrate, is the most toxic polyamine. This finding suggests that knowledge of polyamine oxidase specificity can be used to modulate the cytotoxicity of polyamine derivatives. Amoeba proteus was revealed as a simple model for investigation of the connection between cytotoxicity and enzyme activity.

  7. Polyamine uptake by the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.

    PubMed

    Niemand, J; Louw, A I; Birkholtz, L; Kirk, K

    2012-09-01

    Polyamines and the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis are present at high levels in rapidly proliferating cells, including cancer cells and protozoan parasites. Inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis in asexual blood-stage malaria parasites causes cytostatic arrest of parasite development under in vitro conditions, but does not cure infections in vivo. This may be due to replenishment of the parasite's intracellular polyamine pool via salvage of exogenous polyamines from the host. However, the mechanism(s) of polyamine uptake by the intraerythrocytic parasite are not well understood. In this study, the uptake of the polyamines, putrescine and spermidine, into Plasmodium falciparum parasites functionally isolated from their host erythrocyte was investigated using radioisotope flux techniques. Both putrescine and spermidine were taken up into isolated parasites via a temperature-dependent process that showed cross-competition between different polyamines. There was also some inhibition of polyamine uptake by basic amino acids. Inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis led to an increase in the total amount of putrescine and spermidine taken up from the extracellular medium. The uptake of putrescine and spermidine by isolated parasites was independent of extracellular Na(+) but increased with increasing external pH. Uptake also showed a marked dependence on the parasite's membrane potential, decreasing with membrane depolarization and increasing with membrane hyperpolarization. The data are consistent with polyamines being taken up into the parasite via an electrogenic uptake process, energised by the parasite's inwardly negative membrane potential. Copyright © 2012 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Biochemical evaluation of the anticancer potential of the polyamine-based nanocarrier Nano11047

    PubMed Central

    Ferrari, Elena; Xie, Ying; Yu, Fei; Marton, Laurence J.; Oupicky, David; Casero, Robert A.

    2017-01-01

    Synthesizing polycationic polymers directly from existing drugs overcomes the drug-loading limitations often associated with pharmacologically inert nanocarriers. We recently described nanocarriers formed from a first-generation polyamine analogue, bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSpm), that could simultaneously target polyamine metabolism while delivering therapeutic nucleic acids. In the current study, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of self-immolative nanocarriers derived from the second-generation polyamine analogue PG-11047. Polyamines are absolutely essential for proliferation and their metabolism is frequently dysregulated in cancer. Through its effects on polyamine metabolism, PG-11047 effectively inhibits tumor growth in cancer cell lines of multiple origins as well as in human tumor mouse xenografts. Promising clinical trials have been completed verifying the safety and tolerance of this rotationally restricted polyamine analogue. We therefore used PG-11047 as the basis for Nano11047, a biodegradable, prodrug nanocarrier capable of targeting polyamine metabolism. Following exposure of lung cancer cell lines to Nano11047, uptake and intracellular degradation into the parent compound PG-11047 was observed. The release of PG-11047 highly induced the polyamine catabolic enzyme activities of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and spermine oxidase (SMOX). By contrast, the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis and a putative oncogene, was decreased. Consequently, intracellular levels of the natural polyamines were depleted concurrent with tumor cell growth inhibition. This availability of Nano11047 as a novel drug form and potential nucleic acid delivery vector will potentially benefit and encourage future clinical studies. PMID:28423064

  9. Biochemical evaluation of the anticancer potential of the polyamine-based nanocarrier Nano11047.

    PubMed

    Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Ferrari, Elena; Xie, Ying; Yu, Fei; Marton, Laurence J; Oupicky, David; Casero, Robert A

    2017-01-01

    Synthesizing polycationic polymers directly from existing drugs overcomes the drug-loading limitations often associated with pharmacologically inert nanocarriers. We recently described nanocarriers formed from a first-generation polyamine analogue, bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSpm), that could simultaneously target polyamine metabolism while delivering therapeutic nucleic acids. In the current study, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of self-immolative nanocarriers derived from the second-generation polyamine analogue PG-11047. Polyamines are absolutely essential for proliferation and their metabolism is frequently dysregulated in cancer. Through its effects on polyamine metabolism, PG-11047 effectively inhibits tumor growth in cancer cell lines of multiple origins as well as in human tumor mouse xenografts. Promising clinical trials have been completed verifying the safety and tolerance of this rotationally restricted polyamine analogue. We therefore used PG-11047 as the basis for Nano11047, a biodegradable, prodrug nanocarrier capable of targeting polyamine metabolism. Following exposure of lung cancer cell lines to Nano11047, uptake and intracellular degradation into the parent compound PG-11047 was observed. The release of PG-11047 highly induced the polyamine catabolic enzyme activities of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and spermine oxidase (SMOX). By contrast, the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis and a putative oncogene, was decreased. Consequently, intracellular levels of the natural polyamines were depleted concurrent with tumor cell growth inhibition. This availability of Nano11047 as a novel drug form and potential nucleic acid delivery vector will potentially benefit and encourage future clinical studies.

  10. Polyamines and Their Metabolites as Diagnostic Markers of Human Diseases

    PubMed Central

    Park, Myung Hee; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2013-01-01

    Polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, are ubiquitous in living cells and are essential for eukaryotic cell growth. These polycations interact with negatively charged molecules such as DNA, RNA, acidic proteins and phospholipids and modulate various cellular functions including macromolecular synthesis. Dysregulation of the polyamine pathway leads to pathological conditions including cancer, inflammation, stroke, renal failure and diabetes. Increase in polyamines and polyamine synthesis enzymes is often associated with tumor growth, and urinary and plasma contents of polyamines and their metabolites have been investigated as diagnostic markers for cancers. Of these, diacetylated derivatives of spermidine and spermine are elevated in the urine of cancer patients and present potential markers for early detection. Enhanced catabolism of cellular polyamines by polyamine oxidases (PAO), spermine oxidase (SMO) or acetylpolyamine oxidase (AcPAO), increases cellular oxidative stress and generates hydrogen peroxide and a reactive toxic metabolite, acrolein, which covalently incorporates into lysine residues of cellular proteins. Levels of protein-conjuagated acrolein (PC-Acro) and polyamine oxidizing enzymes were increased in the locus of brain infarction and in plasma in a mouse model of stroke and also in the plasma of stroke patients. When the combined measurements of PC-Acro, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated, even silent brain infarction (SBI) was detected with high sensitivity and specificity. Considering that there are no reliable biochemical markers for early stage of stroke, PC-Acro and PAOs present promising markers. Thus the polyamine metabolites in plasma or urine provide useful tools in early diagnosis of cancer and stroke. PMID:24009852

  11. A perspective of polyamine metabolism.

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, Heather M; Fraser, Alison V; Hughes, Alun

    2003-01-01

    Polyamines are essential for the growth and function of normal cells. They interact with various macromolecules, both electrostatically and covalently and, as a consequence, have a variety of cellular effects. The complexity of polyamine metabolism and the multitude of compensatory mechanisms that are invoked to maintain polyamine homoeostasis argue that these amines are critical to cell survival. The regulation of polyamine content within cells occurs at several levels, including transcription and translation. In addition, novel features such as the +1 frameshift required for antizyme production and the rapid turnover of several of the enzymes involved in the pathway make the regulation of polyamine metabolism a fascinating subject. The link between polyamine content and human disease is unequivocal, and significant success has been obtained in the treatment of a number of parasitic infections. Targeting the polyamine pathway as a means of treating cancer has met with limited success, although the development of drugs such as DFMO (alpha-difluoromethylornithine), a rationally designed anticancer agent, has revolutionized our understanding of polyamine function in cell growth and provided 'proof of concept' that influencing polyamine metabolism and content within tumour cells will prevent tumour growth. The more recent development of the polyamine analogues has been pivotal in advancing our understanding of the necessity to deplete all three polyamines to induce apoptosis in tumour cells. The current thinking is that the polyamine inhibitors/analogues may also be useful agents in the chemoprevention of cancer and, in this area, we may yet see a revival of DFMO. The future will be in adopting a functional genomics approach to identifying polyamine-regulated genes linked to either carcinogenesis or apoptosis. PMID:13678416

  12. Polyamine-iron chelator conjugate.

    PubMed

    Bergeron, Raymond J; McManis, James S; Franklin, April M; Yao, Hua; Weimar, William R

    2003-12-04

    The current study demonstrates unequivocally that polyamines can serve as vectors for the intracellular delivery of the bidentate chelator 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyridin-4-one (L1). The polyamine-hydroxypyridinone conjugate 1-(12-amino-4,9-diazadodecyl)-2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-pyridinone is assembled from spermine and 3-O-benzylmaltol. The conjugate is shown to form a 3:1 complex with Fe(III) and to be taken up by the polyamine transporter 1900-fold against a concentration gradient. The K(i) of the conjugate is 3.7 microM vs spermidine for the polyamine transporter. The conjugate is also at least 230 times more active in suppressing the growth of L1210 murine leukemia cells than is the parent ligand, decreases the activities of the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, and upregulates spermidine-spermine N (1)-acetyltransferase. However, the effect on native polyamine pools is a moderate one. These findings are in keeping with the idea that polyamines can also serve as efficient vectors for the intracellular delivery of other iron chelators.

  13. The polyamines of Xanthium strumarium and their response to photoperiod.

    PubMed

    Hamasaki, N; Galston, A W

    1990-01-01

    Flowering plants of Xanthium strumarium L., grown in 8 h photoperiods, were analysed for polyamines. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine were found throughout the plant in three forms: (a) as free polyamines; (b) conjugates soluble in 5% trichloracetic acid (TCA); and (c) bound to the TCA-insoluble precipitate. On a fresh weight basis, total polyamines are most abundant in young leaves and buds, especially flower buds. Spermidine predominates in the free polyamine fractions, while spermine is dominant in the conjugated fraction. Transfer of vegetative plants from 16 h photoperiods to 1, 2, 3, or 4 inductive cycles (8 h light + 16 h uninterrupted dark) caused rapid and marked changes in the polyamine titer of the leaves and ultimately, floral initiation. The titer of free putrescine per mg protein declined progressively with induction in all leaf sizes, while the titers of free spermidine and spermine rose during days 2 and 3 in small and expanding leaves. Conjugated putrescine, spermidine and spermine rose sharply after only 1 inductive cycle, especially in small and expanding leaves, and maintained the higher level for at least several cycles. In plants given 4 inductive cycles, buds harvested after 4 additional days had sharply elevated levels of conjugated polyamines, especially spermine, on a protein basis.

  14. Mammalian Polyamine Metabolism and Function

    PubMed Central

    Pegg, Anthony E.

    2009-01-01

    Summary Polyamines are ubiquitous small basic molecules that play multiple essential roles in mammalian physiology. Their cellular content is highly regulated and there is convincing evidence that altered metabolism is involvement in many disease states. Drugs altering polyamine levels may therefore have a variety of important targets. This review will summarize the current state of understanding of polyamine metabolism and function, the regulation of polyamine content, and heritable pathological conditions that may be derived from altered polyamine metabolism. PMID:19603518

  15. Polyamines and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Gilmour, Susan K.

    2007-01-01

    Elevated levels of polyamines have long been associated with skin tumorigenesis. Tightly regulated metabolism of polyamines is critical for cell survival and normal skin homeostasis, and these controls are dysregulated in skin tumorigenesis. A key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is upregulated in skin tumors compared to normal skin. Use of transgenic mouse models has demonstrated that polyamines play an essential role in the early promotional phase of skin tumorigenesis. The formation of skin tumors in these transgenic mice is dependent upon polyamine biosynthesis, especially putrescine, since treatment with inhibitors of ODC activity blocks the formation of skin tumors and causes the rapid regression of existing tumors. Although the mechanism by which polyamines promote skin tumorigenesis are not well understood, elevated levels of polyamines have been shown to stimulate epidermal proliferation, alter keratinocyte differentiation status, increase neovascularization, and increase synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins in a manner similar to that seen in wound healing. It is becoming increasingly apparent that elevated polyamine levels activate not only epidermal cells but also underlying stromal cells in the skin to promote the development and progression of skin tumors. The inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis has potential to be an effective chemoprevention strategy for nonmelanoma skin cancer. PMID:17234230

  16. Polyamine catabolism and disease

    PubMed Central

    CASERO, Robert A.; PEGG, Anthony E.

    2009-01-01

    In addition to polyamine homeostasis, it has become increasingly clear that polyamine catabolism can play a dominant role in drug response, apoptosis, response to stressful stimuli, and contribute to the etiology of several pathological states, including cancer. The highly inducible enzymes spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and spermine oxidase (SMO), and, the generally constitutively expressed N1-acetylpolyamine oxidase (APAO), appear to play critical roles in many normal and disease processes. The dysregulation of polyamine catabolism frequently accompanies several disease states and suggests that such dysregulation may both provide useful insight into disease mechanism and provide unique drugable targets that can be exploited for therapeutic benefit. Each of these enzymes has the potential to alter polyamine homeostasis in response to multiple cell signals and the two oxidases produce the reactive oxygen species H2O2 and aldehydes, each with the potential to produce pathologies. The activity of SSAT has the potential to provide substrates for APAO or substrates for the polyamine exporter, thus reducing the intracellular polyamine concentration, the net effect of which depends on the magnitude and rate of any increase in SSAT. SSAT may also influence cellular metabolism via interaction with other proteins and by perturbing the content of acetyl CoA and ATP. The goal of this review is to cover those aspects of polyamine catabolism that have potential to impact disease etiology or treatment and to provide a solid background in this ever more exciting aspect of polyamine biology. PMID:19589128

  17. Indole-3-acetic acid modulates phytohormones and polyamines metabolism associated with the tolerance to water stress in white clover.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhou; Li, Yaping; Zhang, Yan; Cheng, Bizhen; Peng, Yan; Zhang, Xinquan; Ma, Xiao; Huang, Linkai; Yan, Yanhong

    2018-06-09

    Endogenous hormones and polyamines (PAs) could interact to regulate growth and tolerance to water stress in white clover. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the alteration of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) level affected other hormones level and PAs metabolism contributing to the regulation of tolerance to water stress in white clover. Plants were pretreated with IAA or L-2-aminooxy-3-phenylpropionic acid (L-AOPP, the inhibitor of IAA biosynthesis) for 3 days and then subjected to water-sufficient condition and water stress induced by 15% polyethylene glycol 6000 for 8 days in growth chambers. Exogenous application of IAA significantly increased endogenous IAA, gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), and polyamine (PAs) levels, but had no effect on cytokinin content under water stress. The increase in endogenous IAA level enhanced PAs anabolism via the improvement of enzyme activities and transcript level of genes including arginine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Exogenous application of IAA also affected PAs catabolism, as manifested by an increase in diamine oxidase and a decrease in polyamine oxidase activities and genes expression. More importantly, the IAA deficiency in white clover decreased endogenous hormone levels (GA, ABA, and PAs) and PAs anabolism along with decline in antioxidant defense and osmotic adjustment (OA). On the contrary, exogenous IAA effectively alleviated stress-induced oxidative damage, growth inhibition, water deficit, and leaf senescence through the maintenance of higher chlorophyll content, OA, and antioxidant defense as well as lower transcript levels of senescence marker genes SAG101 and SAG102 in leaves under water stress. These results indicate that IAA-induced the crosstalk between endogenous hormones and PAs could be involved in the improvement of antioxidant defense and OA conferring tolerance to water stress in white clover. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier

  18. Changes in free amino acids and polyamine levels in Satsuma leaves in response to Asian citrus psyllid infestation and water stress

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The effects of biotic and abiotic stresses on changes in amino acids and polyamine levels in Satsuma orange (Citrus unshiu; cultivar Owari) leaves were investigated. Asian citrus psyllids (Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama) (ACP) infestation was used to induce biotic stress while a water deficit was impos...

  19. Rapid, sensitive and simultaneous determination of fluorescence-labeled polyamines in human hair by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Sugiura, Koichi; Min, Jun Zhe; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa; Inagaki, Shinsuke

    2008-09-26

    The rapid, sensitive and simultaneous determination of six polyamines, i.e., ornithine (ORN), 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP), putrescine (PUT), cadaverine (CAD), spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM), in human hairs was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with fluorescence (FL) detection and electrospray-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS). The primary (-NH(2)) and secondary (-NH) amines in the polyamine structures were first labeled with 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (DBD-F) at 60 degrees C for 30 min in the mixture of 0.1M borax (pH 9.3) and acetonitrile (CH(3)CN). The resulting derivatives were perfectly separated using an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C(18) column (1.7 microm, 100 mm x 2.1mm i.d.) by a gradient elution with a mixture of water-acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid (HCOOH). The separated polyamine derivatives were sensitively detected with both FL and TOF-MS. The detection limits in FL and TOF-MS were 11-86 and 2-5 fmol, respectively. However, the determination of several polyamines by FL detection was interfered with by endogenous substances in the hair. Therefore, the simultaneous determination in hair was carried out by the combination of UPLC separation and the ESI-TOF-MS detection. The structures of the polyamines were identified from the protonated-molecular ions [M+H](+) obtained from the TOF-MS measurement. A good linearity was achieved from the calibration curves, that was obtained by plotting the peak area ratios of the analytes relative to the internal standard (IS), i.e., 1,6-diaminohexane (DAH), against the injected amounts of each polyamine (0.05-50 pmol, r(2)>0.999). The proposed method was applied to the determination in the hairs of healthy volunteers. The mean concentrations of ORN, DAP, PUT, CAD, SPD and SPM in 1mg of human hairs (n=20) were 1.46, 0.18, 1.18, 0.11, 1.97 and 0.98 pmol, respectively. Because the proposed method provides a good mass accuracy and the trace

  20. Role of Polyamines in Asthma Pathophysiology

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Asthma is a complex disease of airways, where the interactions of immune and structural cells result in disease outcomes with airway remodeling and airway hyper-responsiveness. Polyamines, which are small-sized, natural super-cations, interact with negatively charged intracellular macromolecules, and altered levels of polyamines and their interactions have been associated with different pathological conditions including asthma. Elevated levels of polyamines have been reported in the circulation of asthmatic patients as well as in the lungs of a murine model of asthma. In various studies, polyamines were found to potentiate the pathogenic potential of inflammatory cells, such as mast cells and granulocytes (eosinophils and neutrophils), by either inducing the release of their pro-inflammatory mediators or prolonging their life span. Additionally, polyamines were crucial in the differentiation and alternative activation of macrophages, which play an important role in asthma pathology. Importantly, polyamines cause airway smooth muscle contraction and thus airway hyper-responsiveness, which is the key feature in asthma pathophysiology. High levels of polyamines in asthma and their active cellular and macromolecular interactions indicate the importance of the polyamine pathway in asthma pathogenesis; therefore, modulation of polyamine levels could be a suitable approach in acute and severe asthma management. This review summarizes the possible roles of polyamines in different pathophysiological features of asthma. PMID:29316647

  1. Inhibitors of polyamine metabolism: review article.

    PubMed

    Wallace, H M; Fraser, A V

    2004-07-01

    The identification of increased polyamine concentrations in a variety of diseases from cancer and psoriasis to parasitic infections has led to the hypothesis that manipulation of polyamine metabolism is a realistic target for therapeutic or preventative intervention in the treatment of certain diseases. The early development of polyamine biosynthetic single enzyme inhibitors such as alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) showed some interesting early promise as anticancer drugs, but ultimately failed in vivo. Despite this, DFMO is currently in use as an effective anti-parasitic agent and has recently also been shown to have further potential as a chemopreventative agent in colorectal cancer. The initial promise in vitro led to the development and testing of other potential inhibitors of the pathway namely the polyamine analogues. The analogues have met with greater success than the single enzyme inhibitors possibly due to their multiple targets. These include down regulation of polyamine biosynthesis through inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and decreased polyamine uptake. This coupled with increased activity of the catabolic enzymes, polyamine oxidase and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, and increased polyamine export has made the analogues more effective in depleting polyamine pools. Recently, the identification of a new oxidase (PAO-h1/SMO) in polyamine catabolism and evidence of induction of both PAO and PAO-h1/SMO in response to polyamine analogue treatment, suggests the analogues may become an important part of future chemotherapeutic and/or chemopreventative regimens.

  2. Modulation of protein synthesis by polyamines.

    PubMed

    Igarashi, Kazuei; Kashiwagi, Keiko

    2015-03-01

    Polyamines are ubiquitous small basic molecules that play important roles in cell growth and viability. Since polyamines mainly exist as a polyamine-RNA complex, we looked for proteins whose synthesis is preferentially stimulated by polyamines at the level of translation, and thus far identified 17 proteins in Escherichia coli and 6 proteins in eukaryotes. The mechanisms of polyamine stimulation of synthesis of these proteins were investigated. In addition, the role of eIF5A, containing hypusine formed from spermidine, on protein synthesis is described. These results clearly indicate that polyamines and eIF5A contribute to cell growth and viability through modulation of protein synthesis. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  3. Polyamines and cancer: Implications for chemoprevention and chemotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Nowotarski, Shannon L.; Woster, Patrick M.; Casero, Robert A.

    2013-01-01

    Polyamines are small organic cations that are essential for normal cell growth and development in eukaryotes. Under normal physiological conditions, intracellular polyamine concentrations are tightly regulated through a dynamic network of biosynthetic and catabolic enzymes and a poorly characterized transport system. This precise regulation ensures that the intracellular concentration of polyamines is maintained within strictly controlled limits. It has frequently been observed that the metabolism of, and the requirement for, polyamines in tumours is frequently dysregulated. Elevated levels of polyamines have been associated with breast, colon, lung, prostate, and skin cancers, and altered levels of the rate limiting enzymes in both biosynthesis and catabolism have been observed. Based on these observations and the absolute requirement for polyamines in tumour growth, the polyamine pathway is a rational target for chemoprevention and chemotherapeutics. Here we describe the recent advances made in the polyamine field and focus on the roles of polyamines and polyamine metabolism in neoplasia through a discussion of the current animal models for the polyamine pathway, chemotherapeutic strategies that target the polyamine pathway, chemotherapeutic clinical trials for polyamine pathway specific drugs, and ongoing clinical trials targeting polyamine biosynthesis. PMID:23432971

  4. Spectroscopic and calorimetric investigations on the influence of calcium ions on the polyamine negatively charged phospholipid molecular interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertoluzza, Alessandro; Bonora, S.; Fini, G.; Morelli, M. A.

    1993-06-01

    Polyamines do not interact with neutral phospholipids (phosphatidylcholines) but they do interact in the presence of bivalent and trivalent cations. The effect of polyvalent cations is explained in terms of dehydration of the bilayer surface. Polyamines interact strongly with negatively charged phospholipids; the presence of bivalent and trivalent cations do not change sensitively the type of interaction between polyamines and phosphatidic acids.

  5. TATA-binding protein-associated factor 7 regulates polyamine transport activity and polyamine analog-induced apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Fukuchi, Junichi; Hiipakka, Richard A; Kokontis, John M; Nishimura, Kazuhiro; Igarashi, Kazuei; Liao, Shutsung

    2004-07-16

    Identification of the polyamine transporter gene will be useful for modulating polyamine accumulation in cells and should be a good target for controlling cell proliferation. Polyamine transport activity in mammalian cells is critical for accumulation of the polyamine analog methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) that induces apoptosis, although a gene responsible for transport activity has not been identified. Using a retroviral gene trap screen, we generated MGBG-resistant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to identify genes involved in polyamine transport activity. One gene identified by the method encodes TATA-binding protein-associated factor 7 (TAF7), which functions not only as one of the TAFs, but also a coactivator for c-Jun. TAF7-deficient cells had decreased capacity for polyamine uptake (20% of CHO cells), decreased AP-1 activation, as well as resistance to MGBG-induced apoptosis. Stable expression of TAF7 in TAF7-deficient cells restored transport activity (55% of CHO cells), AP-1 gene transactivation (100% of CHO cells), and sensitivity to MGBG-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of TAF7 in CHO cells did not increase transport activity, suggesting that TAF7 may be involved in the maintenance of basal activity. c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase inhibitors blocked MGBG-induced apoptosis without alteration of polyamine transport. Decreased TAF7 expression, by RNA interference, in androgen-independent human prostate cancer LN-CaP104-R1 cells resulted in lower polyamine transport activity (25% of control) and resistance to MGBG-induced growth arrest. Taken together, these results reveal a physiological function of TAF7 as a basal regulator for mammalian polyamine transport activity and MGBG-induced apoptosis.

  6. Protein cross-linking by chlorinated polyamines and transglutamylation stabilizes neutrophil extracellular traps.

    PubMed

    Csomós, Krisztián; Kristóf, Endre; Jakob, Bernadett; Csomós, István; Kovács, György; Rotem, Omri; Hodrea, Judit; Bagoly, Zsuzsa; Muszbek, Laszlo; Balajthy, Zoltán; Csősz, Éva; Fésüs, László

    2016-08-11

    Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) ejected from activated dying neutrophils is a highly ordered structure of DNA and selected proteins capable to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. Biochemical determinants of the non-randomly formed stable NETs have not been revealed so far. Studying the formation of human NETs we have observed that polyamines were incorporated into the NET. Inhibition of myeloperoxidase, which is essential for NET formation and can generate reactive chlorinated polyamines through hypochlorous acid, decreased polyamine incorporation. Addition of exogenous primary amines that similarly to polyamines inhibit reactions catalyzed by the protein cross-linker transglutaminases (TGases) has similar effect. Proteomic analysis of the highly reproducible pattern of NET components revealed cross-linking of NET proteins through chlorinated polyamines and ɛ(γ-glutamyl)lysine as well as bis-γ-glutamyl polyamine bonds catalyzed by the TGases detected in neutrophils. Competitive inhibition of protein cross-linking by monoamines disturbed the cross-linking pattern of NET proteins, which resulted in the loss of the ordered structure of the NET and significantly reduced capacity to trap bacteria. Our findings provide explanation of how NETs are formed in a reproducible and ordered manner to efficiently neutralize microorganisms at the first defense line of the innate immune system.

  7. Protein cross-linking by chlorinated polyamines and transglutamylation stabilizes neutrophil extracellular traps

    PubMed Central

    Csomós, Krisztián; Kristóf, Endre; Jakob, Bernadett; Csomós, István; Kovács, György; Rotem, Omri; Hodrea, Judit; Bagoly, Zsuzsa; Muszbek, Laszlo; Balajthy, Zoltán; Csősz, Éva; Fésüs, László

    2016-01-01

    Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) ejected from activated dying neutrophils is a highly ordered structure of DNA and selected proteins capable to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. Biochemical determinants of the non-randomly formed stable NETs have not been revealed so far. Studying the formation of human NETs we have observed that polyamines were incorporated into the NET. Inhibition of myeloperoxidase, which is essential for NET formation and can generate reactive chlorinated polyamines through hypochlorous acid, decreased polyamine incorporation. Addition of exogenous primary amines that similarly to polyamines inhibit reactions catalyzed by the protein cross-linker transglutaminases (TGases) has similar effect. Proteomic analysis of the highly reproducible pattern of NET components revealed cross-linking of NET proteins through chlorinated polyamines and ɛ(γ-glutamyl)lysine as well as bis-γ-glutamyl polyamine bonds catalyzed by the TGases detected in neutrophils. Competitive inhibition of protein cross-linking by monoamines disturbed the cross-linking pattern of NET proteins, which resulted in the loss of the ordered structure of the NET and significantly reduced capacity to trap bacteria. Our findings provide explanation of how NETs are formed in a reproducible and ordered manner to efficiently neutralize microorganisms at the first defense line of the innate immune system. PMID:27512953

  8. Lipophilic Lysine-Spermine Conjugates are Potent Polyamine Transport Inhibitors for use in Combination with a Polyamine Biosynthesis Inhibitor

    PubMed Central

    Burns, Mark R.; Graminski, Gerard F.; Weeks, Reitha S.; Chen, Yan; O’Brien, Thomas G.

    2009-01-01

    Cancer cells can overcome the ability of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors from completely depleting their internal polyamines by the importation polyamines from external sources. We have developed a group of lipophilic polyamine analogs that potently inhibit the cellular polyamine uptake system and greatly increase the effectiveness of polyamine depletion when used in combination with DFMO, a well-studied polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor. By the attachment of an length-optimized C16 lipophilic substituent to the epsilon-nitrogen atom of our earlier lead compound, d-Lys-Spm (5), we have produced an analog, d-Lys(C16acyl)-Spm (11) with several orders of magnitude more potent cell growth inhibition on a variety of cultured cancer cell types including breast (MDA-MB-231), prostate (PC-3), melanoma (A375) and ovarian (SK-OV-3), among others. We discuss these results in the context of a possible membrane-catalyzed interaction with the extracellular polyamine transport apparatus. The resulting novel two-drug combination therapy targeting cellular polyamine metabolism has shown exceptional efficacy against cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) in a transgenic ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) mouse model of skin cancer. A majority (88%) of large, aggressive SCCs exhibited complete or near-complete remission to this combination therapy, while responses to each agent alone were poor. The availability of a potent polyamine transport inhibitor allows, for the first time, for a real test of the hypothesis that starving cells of polyamines will lead to objective clinical response. PMID:19281226

  9. Modulation of the NMDA receptor by polyamines

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, K.; Romano, C.; Dichter, M.A.

    1991-01-01

    Results of recent biochemical and electrophysiological studies have suggested that a recognition site for polyamines exists as part of the NMDA receptor complex. The endogenous polyamines spermine and spermidine increase the binding of open-channel blockers and increase NMDA-elicited currents in cultured neutrons. These polyamines have been termed agonists at the polyamine recognition site. Studies of the effects of natural and synthetic polyamines on the binding of ({sup 3}H)MK-801 and on NMDA-elicited currents in cultured neurons have led to the identification of compounds classified as partial agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists at the polyamine recognition site. Polyamines have also been foundmore » to affect the binding of ligands to the recognition sites for glutamate and glycine. However, these effects may be mediated at a site distinct from that at which polyamines act to modulate the binding of open-channel blockers. Endogenous polyamines may modulate excitatory synaptic transmission by acting at the polyamine recognition site of the NMDA receptor. This site could represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemia-induced neurotoxicity, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases.« less

  10. The early history of polyamine research.

    PubMed

    Bachrach, Uriel

    2010-07-01

    In 1678 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek identified crystalline substances in human semen. The structure of these crystals, named "spermine", was not elucidated by Rosenheim until 250 years later. Subsequently a triamine (spermidine) and a diamine (putrescine; 1,4-diaminobutane) were isolated from prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Soon it became apparent that polyamines can promote the growth of fastidious bacteria. Subsequently a group in Helsinki studied the accumulation of polyamines in regenerating rat liver, while Caldarera and his group studied polyamine synthesis in the developing chick embryo. These investigations led to metabolic studies. Ornithine decarboxylase was identified as a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, while polyamine and diamine oxidations were studied by Mondovì. alpha-Diflouromethylornithine (DFMO) was synthesized by Merrell-Dow and became a potent inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase. The findings of Russell that polyamines are excreted in the urine of cancer patients drew the attention of oncologists, who attempted the use new technologies for the detection of cancer and improving therapy. With the advance of molecular biology the structure of polyamine-biosynthetic enzymes was elaborated. Plants served as another important tool to study the physiological functions of polyamines. Bagni and his group at Bologna were pioneers in that field and for more than forty-six years set the foundation of a most interesting discipline. 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Polyamine/salt-assembled microspheres coated with hyaluronic acid for targeting and pH sensing.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Pan; Yang, Hui; Wang, Guojun; Tong, Weijun; Gao, Changyou

    2016-06-01

    The poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/trisodium citrate aggregates were fabricated and further covalently crosslinked via the coupling reaction of carboxylic sites on trisodium citrate with the amine groups on polyamine, onto which poly-L-lysine and hyaluronic acid were sequentially assembled, forming stable microspheres. The pH sensitive dye and pH insensitive dye were further labeled to enable the microspheres with pH sensing property. Moreover, these microspheres could be specifically targeted to HeLa tumor cells, since hyaluronic acid can specifically recognize and bind to CD44, a receptor overexpressed on many tumor cells. Quantitative pH measurement by confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that the microspheres were internalized into HeLa cells, and accumulated in acidic compartments. By contrast, only a few microspheres were adhered on the NIH 3T3 cells surface. The microspheres with combined pH sensing property and targeting ability can enhance the insight understanding of the targeted drug vehicles trafficking after cellular internalization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. 40 CFR 721.10410 - Polyether ester acid compound with a polyamine amide (generic) (P-05-714).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... polyamine amide (generic) (P-05-714). 721.10410 Section 721.10410 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... polyamine amide (generic) (P-05-714). (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting... amide (PMN P-05-714) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant new uses described...

  13. Polyamine Uptake in Carrot Cell Cultures 1

    PubMed Central

    Pistocchi, Rossella; Bagni, Nello; Creus, José A.

    1987-01-01

    Putrescine and spermidine uptake into carrot (Daucus carota L.) cells in culture was studied. The time course of uptake showed that the two polyamines were very quickly transported into the cells, reaching a maximum absorption within 1 minute. Increasing external polyamine concentrations up to 100 millimolar showed the existence of a biphasic system with different affinities at low and high polyamine concentrations. The cellular localization of absorbed polyamines was such that a greater amount of putrescine was present in the cytoplasmic soluble fraction, while spermidine was mostly present in cell walls. The absorbed polyamines were released into the medium in the presence of increasing external concentrations of the corresponding polyamine or Ca2+. The effects of Ca2+ were different for putrescine and spermidine; putrescine uptake was slightly stimulated by 10 micromolar Ca2+ and inhibited by higher concentrations, while for spermidine uptake there was an increasing stimulation in the Ca2+ concentration range between 10 micromolar and 1 millimolar. La3+ nullified the stimulatory effect of 10 micromolar Ca2+ on putrescine uptake and that of 1 millimolar Ca2+ on spermidine uptake. La3+ at 0.5 to 1 millimolar markedly inhibited the uptake of both polyamines, suggesting that it interferes with the sites of polyamine uptake. Putrescine uptake was affected to a lesser extent by metabolic inhibitors than was spermidine uptake. It is proposed that the entry of polyamines into the cells is driven by the transmembrane electrical gradient, with a possible antiport mechanism between external and internal polyamine molecule. PMID:16665446

  14. Genetic and biochemical analysis of protozoal polyamine transporters.

    PubMed

    Hasne, Marie-Pierre; Ullman, Buddy

    2011-01-01

    Polyamines are aliphatic polycations that function in key cellular processes such as growth, differentiation, and macromolecular biosynthesis. Intracellular polyamines pools are maintained from de novo synthesis and from transport of polyamines from the extracellular milieu. This acquisition of exogenous polyamines is mediated by cell surface transporter proteins. Protozoan parasites are the etiologic agents of a plethora of devastating and often fatal diseases in humans and their domestic animals. These pathogens accommodate de novo and/or salvage mechanisms for polyamine acquisition. Because of its therapeutic relevance, the polyamine biosynthetic pathway has been thoroughly investigated in many genera of protozoan parasites, but the polyamine permeation pathways have generally been ignored. Our group has now identified at the molecular level polyamine transporters from two species of protozoan parasites, Leishmania major and Trypanosoma cruzi, characterized these polytopic proteins with respect to ligand specificities and affinities, and determined the subcellular environments in which these transporters reside.

  15. Characterization of a Polyamine Microsphere and Its Adsorption for Protein

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Feng; Liu, Pei; Nie, Tingting; Wei, Huixian; Cui, Zhenggang

    2013-01-01

    A novel polyamine microsphere, prepared from the water-in-oil emulsion of polyethylenimine, was characterized. The investigation of scanning electron microscopy showed that the polyamine microsphere is a regular ball with a smooth surface. The diameter distribution of the microsphere is 0.37–4.29 μm. The isoelectric point of the microsphere is 10.6. The microsphere can adsorb proteins through the co-effect of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Among the proteins tested, the highest value of adsorption of microsphere, 127.8 mg·g−1 microsphere, was obtained with lipase. In comparison with other proteins, the hydrophobic force is more important in promoting the adsorption of lipase. The microsphere can preferentially adsorb lipase from an even mixture of proteins. The optimum temperature and pH for the selective adsorption of lipase by the microsphere was 35 °C and pH 7.0. PMID:23344018

  16. Physicochemical properties of betaine monohydrate-carboxylic acid mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zahrina, I.; Nasikin, M.; Mulia, K.

    2018-05-01

    Green solvents are widely used to minimize environmental problems associated with the use of volatile organic solvents in many industries. DES are new green solvents in recent. The physicochemical properties of DES can be varied by properly combining of salts with different hydrogen bond donors. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of varying molar ratios on the physicochemical properties of betaine monohydrate-carboxylic acid (i.e,. propionic or acetic acid) mixtures. Properties of mixtures were measured at 40°C. The viscosity, polarity scale (ENR), density, pH, and water content tend to decrease with the decrease in a molar ratio of betaine monohydrate to acid. Conversely, the ionic conductivity was increased. The physicochemical properties of these mixtures depend on the hydrogen bonding interactions between betaine, water and acid molecules. Betaine monohydratecarboxylic acid mixtures have wide range of polarity, low viscosity, high ionic conductivity, and density higher than 1 g·cm-3 that make them fit for numerous various applications. Additionally, due to these mixtures have acidic pH, it should be properly selected of metal type to minimize corrosion problems in industrial application.

  17. Polyamine-dependent migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Dianna A; Fields, Carolyn; Fallon, Amy; Fitzgerald, Malinda E C; Viar, Mary Jane; Johnson, Leonard R

    2002-04-01

    Migration of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells can be triggered by disruption of the RPE monolayer or injury to the neural retina. Migrating cells may re-establish a confluent monolayer, or they may invade the neural retina and disrupt visual function. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of endogenous polyamines in mechanisms of RPE migration. Endogenous polyamine levels were determined in an immortalized RPE cell line, D407, using HPLC. Activities of the two rate-limiting enzymes for polyamine synthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMdc), were measured by liberation of ((14)CO(2))(.) Migration was assessed in confluent cultures by determining the number of cells migrating into a mechanically denuded area. All measurements were obtained both in control cultures and in cultures treated with synthesis inhibitors that deplete endogenous polyamines. Subcellular localization of endogenous polyamines was determined using a polyamine antibody. The polyamines, spermidine and spermine, as well as their precursor, putrescine, were normal constituents of RPE cells. The two rate-limiting synthetic enzymes were also present, and their activities were stimulated dramatically by addition of serum to the culture medium. Cell migration was similarly stimulated by serum exposure. When endogenous polyamines were depleted, migration was blocked. When polyamines were replenished through uptake, migration was restored. Polyamine immunoreactivity was limited to membrane patches in quiescent cells. In actively migrating and dividing cells, immunoreactivity was enhanced throughout the cytoplasm. Polyamines are essential for RPE migration. Pharmacologic manipulation of the polyamine pathway could provide a therapeutic strategy for regulating anomalous migration.

  18. Fast Fourier Transform IR Characterization of Epoxy GY Systems Crosslinked with Aliphatic and Cycloaliphatic EH Polyamine Adducts

    PubMed Central

    Nikolic, Goran; Zlatkovic, Sasa; Cakic, Milorad; Cakic, Suzana; Lacnjevac, Caslav; Rajic, Zoran

    2010-01-01

    The use of fast FT-IR spectroscopy as a sensitive method to estimate a change of the crosslinking kinetics of epoxy resin with polyamine adducts is described in this study. A new epoxy formulation based on the use of polyamine adducts as the hardeners was analyzed. Crosslinking reactions of the different stoichiometric mixtures of the unmodified GY250 epoxy resin with the aliphatic EH606 and the cycloaliphatic EH637 polyamine adducts were studied using mid FT-IR spectroscopic techniques. As the crosslinking proceeded, the primary amine groups in polyamine adduct are converted to secondary and the tertiary amines. The decrease in the IR band intensity of epoxy groups at about 915 cm−1, as well as at about 3,056 cm−1, was observed due to process. Mid IR spectral analysis was used to calculate the content of the epoxy groups as a function of crosslinking time and the crosslinking degree of resin. The amount of all the epoxy species was estimated from IR spectra to changes during the crosslinking kinetics of epichlorhydrin. PMID:22315562

  19. Polyamines in foods: development of a food database

    PubMed Central

    Ali, Mohamed Atiya; Poortvliet, Eric; Strömberg, Roger; Yngve, Agneta

    2011-01-01

    Background Knowing the levels of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) in different foods is of interest due to the association of these bioactive nutrients to health and diseases. There is a lack of relevant information on their contents in foods. Objective To develop a food polyamine database from published data by which polyamine intake and food contribution to this intake can be estimated, and to determine the levels of polyamines in Swedish dairy products. Design Extensive literature search and laboratory analysis of selected Swedish dairy products. Polyamine contents in foods were collected using an extensive literature search of databases. Polyamines in different types of Swedish dairy products (milk with different fat percentages, yogurt, cheeses, and sour milk) were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a UV detector. Results Fruits and cheese were the highest sources of putrescine, while vegetables and meat products were found to be rich in spermidine and spermine, respectively. The content of polyamines in cheese varied considerably between studies. In analyzed Swedish dairy products, matured cheese had the highest total polyamine contents with values of 52.3, 1.2, and 2.6 mg/kg for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively. Low fat milk had higher putrescine and spermidine, 1.2 and 1.0 mg/kg, respectively, than the other types of milk. Conclusions The database aids other researchers in their quest for information regarding polyamine intake from foods. Connecting the polyamine contents in food with the Swedish Food Database allows for estimation of polyamine contents per portion. PMID:21249159

  20. The inhibition of prions through blocking prion conversion by permanently charged branched polyamines of low cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Lim, Yong-beom; Mays, Charles E; Kim, Younghwan; Titlow, William B; Ryou, Chongsuk

    2010-03-01

    Branched polyamines are effective in inhibiting prions in a cationic surface charge density dependent manner. However, toxicity associated with branched polyamines, in general, often hampers the successful application of the compounds to treat prion diseases. Here, we report that constitutively maintained cationic properties in branched polyamines reduced the intrinsic toxicity of the compounds while retaining the anti-prion activities. In prion-infected neuroblastoma cells, quaternization of amines in polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers markedly increased the nontoxic concentration ranges of the compounds and still supported, albeit reduced, an appreciable level of anti-prion activity in clearing prions from the infected cells. Furthermore, quaternized PEI was able to degrade prions at acidic pH conditions and inhibit the in vitro prion propagation facilitated by conversion of the normal prion protein isoform to its misfolded counterpart, although such activities were decreased by quaternization. Quaternized PAMAM was least effective in degrading prions but efficiently inhibited prion conversion with the same efficacy as unmodified PAMAM. Our results suggest that quaternization represents an effective strategy for developing nontoxic branched polyamines with potent anti-prion activity. This study highlights the importance of polyamine structural control for developing polyamine-based anti-prion agents and understanding of an action mechanism of quaternized branched polyamines. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. [Polyamines and their role in tumor growth].

    PubMed

    Godlewska, Joanna; Peczyńska-Czoch, Wanda

    2002-01-01

    The polyamines-putrescine, spermidine and spermine--are normal constituents of prokariotic and eukariotic cells. These small polycationic, aliphatic compounds are essential for normal cell proliferation. Cells cease to proliferate, when they are depleted of their polyamines, but resume a normal growth rate after supplementation with these compounds. Because of the sustained increase in polyamine biosynthesis in preneoplastic and neoplastic tissues, a great deal of interest has been given to the polyamine biosynthesis, network, and uptake systems as a target in antineoplastic strategies.

  2. Comprehensive analysis of polyamine transport and biosynthesis in the dominant human gut bacteria: Potential presence of novel polyamine metabolism and transport genes.

    PubMed

    Sugiyama, Yuta; Nara, Misaki; Sakanaka, Mikiyasu; Gotoh, Aina; Kitakata, Aya; Okuda, Shujiro; Kurihara, Shin

    2017-12-01

    Recent studies have reported that polyamines in the colonic lumen might affect animal health and these polyamines are thought to be produced by gut bacteria. In the present study, we measured the concentrations of three polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) in cells and culture supernatants of 32 dominant human gut bacterial species in their growing and stationary phases. Combining polyamine concentration analysis in culture supernatant and cells with available genomic information showed that novel polyamine biosynthetic proteins and transporters were present in dominant human gut bacteria. Based on these findings, we suggested strategies for optimizing polyamine concentrations in the human colonic lumen via regulation of genes responsible for polyamine biosynthesis and transport in the dominant human gut bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Innovative approaches to the use of polyamines for DNA nanoparticle preparation for gene therapy.

    PubMed

    Vijayanathan, Veena; Agostinelli, Enzo; Thomas, Thresia; Thomas, T J

    2014-03-01

    Advances in genomic technologies, such as next generation sequencing and disease specific gene targeting through anti-sense, anti-gene, siRNA and microRNA approaches require the transport of nucleic acid drugs through the cell membrane. Membrane transport of DNA/RNA drugs is an inefficient process, and the mechanism(s) by which this process occurs is not clear. A pre-requisite for effective transport of DNA and RNA in cells is their condensation to nanoparticles of ~100 nm size. Although viral vectors are effective in gene therapy, the immune response elicited by viral proteins poses a major challenge. Multivalent cations, such as natural polyamines are excellent promoters of DNA/RNA condensation to nanoparticles. During the past 20 years, our laboratory has synthesized and tested several analogs of the natural polyamine, spermine, for their efficacy to provoke DNA condensation to nanoparticles. We determined the thermodynamics of polyamine-mediated DNA condensation, measured the structural specificity effects of polyamine analogs in facilitating the cellular uptake of oligonucleotides, and evaluated the gene silencing activity of DNA nanoparticles in breast cancer cells. Polyamine-complexed oligonucleotides showed a synergistic effect on target gene inhibition at the mRNA level compared to the use of polyamines and oligonucleotides as single agents. Ionic and structural specificity effects were evident in DNA condensation and cellular transportation effects of polyamines. In condensed DNA structures, correlation exists between the attractive and repulsive forces with structurally different polyamines and cobalt hexamine, indicating the existence of a common force in stabilizing the condensed structures. Future studies aimed at defining the mechanism(s) of DNA compaction and structural features of DNA nanoparticles might aid in the development of novel gene delivery vehicles.

  4. Inhibition of polyamine and spermine oxidases by polyamine analogues.

    PubMed

    Bianchi, Marzia; Polticelli, Fabio; Ascenzi, Paolo; Botta, Maurizio; Federico, Rodolfo; Mariottini, Paolo; Cona, Alessandra

    2006-03-01

    Polyamine oxidase (PAO) and spermine oxidase (SMO) are involved in the catabolism of polyamines--basic regulators of cell growth and proliferation. The discovery of selective inhibitors of PAO and SMO represents an important tool in studying the involvement of these enzymes in polyamine homeostasis and a starting point for the development of novel antineoplastic drugs. Here, a comparative study on murine PAO (mPAO) and SMO (mSMO) inhibition by the polyamine analogues 1,8-diaminooctane, 1,12-diaminododecane, N-prenylagmatine (G3), guazatine and N,N1-bis(2,3-butadienyl)-1,4-butanediamine (MDL72527) is reported. Interestingly, 1,12-Diaminododecane and G3 behave as specific inhibitors of mPAO, values of K(i) for mPAO inhibition being lower than those for mSMO inactivation by several orders of magnitude. The analysis of molecular models of mPAO and mSMO indicates a significant reduction of the hydrophobic pocket located in maize PAO (MPAO) at the wider catalytic tunnel opening. This observation provides a rationale to explain the lower affinity displayed by G3, guazatine and MDL72527 for mPAO and mSMO as compared to MPAO. The different behaviour displayed by 1,12-diaminododecane towards mPAO and mSMO reveals the occurrence of basic differences in the ligand binding mode of the two enzymes, the first enzyme interacting mainly with substrate secondary amino groups and the second one with substrate primary amino groups. Thus, the data reported here provide the basis for the development of novel and selective inhibitors able to discriminate between mammalian SMO and PAO activities.

  5. Potential Applications of Polyamines in Agriculture and Plant Biotechnology.

    PubMed

    Tiburcio, Antonio F; Alcázar, Rubén

    2018-01-01

    The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine have been implicated in a myriad of biological functions in many organisms. Research done during the last decades has accumulated a large body of evidence demonstrating that polyamines are key modulators of plant growth and development. Different experimental approaches have been employed including the measurement of endogenous polyamine levels and the activities of polyamine metabolic enzymes, the study of the effects resulting from exogenous polyamine applications and chemical or genetic manipulation of endogenous polyamine titers. This chapter reviews the role of PAs in seed germination, root development, plant architecture, in vitro plant regeneration, flowering and plant senescence. Evidence presented here indicates that polyamines should be regarded as plant growth regulators with potential applications in agriculture and plant biotechnology.

  6. Surface tensions of solutions containing dicarboxylic acid mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jae Young; Hildemann, Lynn M.

    2014-06-01

    Organic solutes tend to lower the surface tension of cloud condensation nuclei, allowing them to more readily activate. The surface tension of various dicarboxylic acid aerosol mixtures was measured at 20 °C using the Wilhelmy plate method. At lower concentrations, the surface tension of a solution with equi-molar mixtures of dicarboxylic acids closely followed that of a solution with the most surface-active organic component alone. Measurements of surface tension for these mixtures were lower than predictions using Henning's model and the modified Szyszkowski equation, by ˜1-2%. The calculated maximum surface excess (Γmax) and inverse Langmuir adsorption coefficient (β) from the modified Szyszkowski equation were both larger than measured values for 6 of the 7 mixtures tested. Accounting for the reduction in surface tension in the Köhler equation reduced the critical saturation ratio for these multi-component mixtures - changes were negligible for dry diameters of 0.1 and 0.5 μm, but a reduction from 1.0068 to 1.0063 was seen for the 4-dicarboxylic acid mixture with a dry diameter of 0.05 μm.

  7. Health effects of acid aerosols formed by atmospheric mixtures.

    PubMed Central

    Kleinman, M T; Phalen, R F; Mautz, W J; Mannix, R C; McClure, T R; Crocker, T T

    1989-01-01

    Under ambient conditions, sulfur and nitrogen oxides can react with photochemical products and airborne particles to form acidic vapors and aerosols. Inhalation toxicological studies were conducted, exposing laboratory animals, at rest and during exercise, to multicomponent atmospheric mixtures under conditions favorable to the formation of acidic reaction products. Effects of acid and ozone mixtures on early and late clearance of insoluble radioactive particles in the lungs of rats appeared to be dominated by the oxidant component (i.e., the mixture did cause effects that were significantly different from those of ozone alone). Histopathological evaluations showed that sulfuric acid particles alone did not cause inflammatory responses in centriacinar units of rat lung parenchyma (expressed in terms of percent lesion area) but did cause significant damage (cell killing followed by a wave of cell replication) in nasal respiratory epithelium, as measured by uptake of tritiated thymidine in the DNA of replicating cells. Mixtures of ozone and nitrogen dioxide, which form nitric acid, caused significant inflammatory responses in lung parenchyma (in excess of effects seen in rats exposed to ozone alone), but did not damage nasal epithelium. Mixtures containing acidic sulfate particles, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide damaged both lung parenchyma and nasal epithelia. In rats exposed at rest, the response of the lung appeared to be dominated by the oxidant gas-phase components, while responses in the nose were dominated by the acidic particles. In rats exposed at exercise, however, mixtures of ozone and sulfuric acid particles significantly (2.5-fold) elevated the degree of lung lesion formation over that seen in rats exposed to ozone alone under an identical exercise protocol. PMID:2707193

  8. Polyamine-Induced Rapid Root Abscission in Azolla pinnata

    PubMed Central

    Gurung, Sushma; Cohen, Michael F.; Fukuto, Jon; Yamasaki, Hideo

    2012-01-01

    Floating ferns of the genus Azolla detach their roots under stress conditions, a unique adaptive response termed rapid root abscission. We found that Azolla pinnata plants exhibited dose-dependent rapid root abscission in response to the polyamines spermidine and spermine after a substantial time lag (>20 min). The duration of the time lag decreased in response to high pH and high temperature whereas high light intensity increased the time lag and markedly lowered the rate of abscission. The oxidation products of polyamines, 1,3-diaminopropane, β-alanine and hydrogen peroxide all failed to initiate root abscission, and hydroxyethyl hydrazine, an inhibitor of polyamine oxidase, did not inhibit spermine-induced root abscission. Exposure of A. pinnata to the polyamines did not result in detectable release of NO and did not affect nitrite-dependent NO production. The finding of polyamine-induced rapid root abscission provides a facile assay for further study of the mode of action of polyamines in plant stress responses. PMID:22997568

  9. Polyamine-Induced Rapid Root Abscission in Azolla pinnata.

    PubMed

    Gurung, Sushma; Cohen, Michael F; Fukuto, Jon; Yamasaki, Hideo

    2012-01-01

    Floating ferns of the genus Azolla detach their roots under stress conditions, a unique adaptive response termed rapid root abscission. We found that Azolla pinnata plants exhibited dose-dependent rapid root abscission in response to the polyamines spermidine and spermine after a substantial time lag (>20 min). The duration of the time lag decreased in response to high pH and high temperature whereas high light intensity increased the time lag and markedly lowered the rate of abscission. The oxidation products of polyamines, 1,3-diaminopropane, β-alanine and hydrogen peroxide all failed to initiate root abscission, and hydroxyethyl hydrazine, an inhibitor of polyamine oxidase, did not inhibit spermine-induced root abscission. Exposure of A. pinnata to the polyamines did not result in detectable release of NO and did not affect nitrite-dependent NO production. The finding of polyamine-induced rapid root abscission provides a facile assay for further study of the mode of action of polyamines in plant stress responses.

  10. TOLERANCE TO AMINO ACID MIXTURES AND CASEIN DIGESTS GIVEN INTRAVENOUSLY

    PubMed Central

    Madden, S. C.; Woods, R. R.; Shull, F. W.; Remington, J. H.; Whipple, G. H.

    1945-01-01

    Several synthetic mixtures of natural and racemic crystalline amino acids suitable for the daily nitrogen requirement are tested in dogs for their tolerance upon intravenous injection. Certain mixtures of the ten essential amino acids plus non-essential amino acids exclusive of glutamic acid are accepted without any obvious sign of disturbance even at rates above 10 mg. nitrogen per kilo per minute for quantities greater than 300 mg. per kilo. One such mixture consists in parts per 100 of dl-threonine 7, dl-valine 15, l(-)-leucine 10.9, dl-isoleucine 9.9, l(+)-lysine· HCl·H2O 10.9, dl-tryptophane 3, dl-phenylalanine 9.9, dl-methionine 6, l(+)-histidine·HCl·H2O 5, l(+)-arginine-HCl 5, glycine 9.9, dl-α-alanine 4, dl-serine 2, l(-)-cystine 0.5, and l(-)-tyrosine 1. In addition other well tolerated mixtures included the prolines. When glutamic acid, natural or racemic, is included in similar mixtures vomiting reactions frequently occur at nitrogen rates above 4 mg. per kilo per minute. Vomiting almost always occurs on the first daily injection containing glutamic acid and usually on any subsequent injection containing more than 100 mg. glutamic acid per kilo unless given very slowly. Upon the addition of glycine certain mixtures of the ten essential amino acids show an improved tolerance. Two casein digests tested usually produced vomiting at injection rates above 2 mg. nitrogen per kilo per minute, probably because of their glutamic acid content. No serious reaction has ever occurrred to any mixture of amino acids or casein digest tested. Elimination of minor reactions such as vomiting appears possible and desirable for greater usefulness of these solutions in parenteral feeding. PMID:19871468

  11. Experimental study on thermal storage performance of binary mixtures of fatty acids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Quanying; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Chao; Liu, Sha; Sun, Xiangyu

    2018-02-01

    We selected five kinds of fatty acids including the capric acid, stearic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid and myristic acid and mixed them to prepare10 kinds of binary mixtures of fatty acids according to the predetermined proportion,tested the phase change temperature and latent heat of mixtures by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC). In order to find the fatty acid mixture which has suitable phase change temperature, the larger phase change latent heat and can be used for phase change wall. The results showed that the phase change temperature and latent heats of the binary mixtures of fatty acids decreased compared with the single component;The phase change temperature of the binary mixtures of fatty acids containing capric acid were lower, the range was roughly 20∼30°C,and latent heat is large,which are ideal phase change materials for phase change wall energy storage;The phase change temperature of the binary mixtures consisting of other fatty acids were still high,didn’t meet the temperature requirements of the wall energy storage.

  12. Demulsification. [branched polyalkylene polyamines

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dickson, W.J.; Jenkins, F.W.

    1966-07-05

    A method of demulsification uses branched polyalkylene polyamines or their derivatives as demulsifiers for water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsions. In addition to demulsification these products have a broad spectrum of uses. Among other uses are the following: (1) as corrosion inhibitors; (2) as fuel oil or lubricating oil additives; (3) as scale preventatives; (4) as acidizing additives; (5) as water-treating agents in waterflooding operations; (6) as mud additives; (7) as agents for the removal of mud filter cake from the walls of newly drilled wells; (8) as agents in paraffin solvents; (9) as additives in fracturing fluids; and (10) as agentsmore » in bactericides and fungicides. (8 claims)« less

  13. A role for polyamines in glucose-stimulated insulin-gene expression.

    PubMed Central

    Welsh, N

    1990-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible role for polyamines in the glucose regulation of the metabolism of insulin mRNA of pancreatic islet cells. For this purpose islets were prepared from adult mice and cultured for 2 days in culture medium RPMI 1640 containing 3.3 mM- or 16.7 mM-glucose with or without the addition of the inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (EGBG). Culture at the high glucose concentration increased the islet contents of both insulin mRNA and polyamines. The synthesis of total RNA, total islet polyamines and polyamines associated with islet nuclei was also increased. When the combination of DFMO and EGBG was added in the presence of 16.7 mM-glucose, low contents of insulin mRNA, spermine and spermidine were observed. Total islet polyamine synthesis was also depressed by DFMO + EGBG, unlike islet biosynthesis of polyamines associated with nuclei, which was not equally decreased by the polyamine-synthesis inhibitors. Total RNA synthesis and turnover was not affected by DFMO + EGBG. Finally, actinomycin D attenuated the glucose-induced enhancement of insulin mRNA, and cycloheximide counteracted the insulin-mRNA attenuation induced by inhibition of polyamine synthesis. It is concluded that the glucose-induced increase in insulin mRNA is paralleled by increased contents and rates of polyamine biosynthesis and that an attenuation of the increase in polyamines prevents the increase in insulin mRNA. In addition, the results are compatible with the view that polyamines exert their effects on insulin mRNA mainly by increasing the stability of this messenger. PMID:2241922

  14. Suicide and the Polyamine System

    PubMed Central

    Gross, Jeffrey A.; Turecki, Gustavo

    2017-01-01

    Suicide is a significant worldwide public health problem. Understanding the neurobiology is important as it can help us to better elucidate underlying etiological factors and provide opportunities for intervention. In recent years, many lines of research have suggested that the polyamine system may be dysregulated in suicidal behaviors. Initial research in animals provided evidence of a dysfunctional polyamine stress response system, while later work using post-mortem human brain tissue has suggested that molecular mechanisms may be at play in the suicide brain. In this review, we will describe the research that suggests the presence of alterations in the polyamine system in mental disorders and behavioral phenotypes, with particular attention to work on suicide. In addition, we will also describe potential avenues for future work. PMID:24040803

  15. Food Polyamine and Cardiovascular Disease -An Epidemiological Study-

    PubMed Central

    Soda, Kuniyasu; Kano, Yoshihiko; Chiba, Fumihiro

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of dietary polyamines toward preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Age-standardized mortality rates as well as other relevant information regarding individuals with CVD were gathered from the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund in 48 different European and other Western countries. Food supply data were collected from the database of the United Nations, and the amount of dietary polyamines was estimated by using polyamine concentrations in foods from published sources. The association between CVD mortality and the amount of polyamines was investigated by performing a series of multiple linear regression analyses. Analyses using factors known to modulate the risk of CVD including: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (standardized regression coefficient (r) = -0.786, p < 0.001) and the amount of fruits, vegetable, nuts, and beans (r = -0.183, p = 0.001) but not including polyamines, showed negative associations with CVD, while smoking rate (r = 0.139, p = 0.041) and whole milk amount (r = 0.131, p = 0.028) showed positive associations with CVD. When the amount of polyamines was added to the analyses as a covariate, GDP (r = -0.864, p < 0.001) and polyamines (r = -0.355, p = 0.007) showed negative associations with CVD, while smoking rate (r = 0.183, p = 0.006) and whole milk (r = 0.113, p = 0.041) showed positive associations with CVD. The inverse association between dietary polyamines and CVD mortality revealed by the present study merits further evaluation. PMID:23121753

  16. Food polyamine and cardiovascular disease--an epidemiological study.

    PubMed

    Soda, Kuniyasu; Kano, Yoshihiko; Chiba, Fumihiro

    2012-09-28

    The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of dietary polyamines toward preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Age-standardized mortality rates as well as other relevant information regarding individuals with CVD were gathered from the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund in 48 different European and other Western countries. Food supply data were collected from the database of the United Nations, and the amount of dietary polyamines was estimated by using polyamine concentrations in foods from published sources. The association between CVD mortality and the amount of polyamines was investigated by performing a series of multiple linear regression analyses. Analyses using factors known to modulate the risk of CVD including: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (standardized regression coefficient (r) = -0.786, p < 0.001) and the amount of fruits, vegetable, nuts, and beans (r = -0.183, p = 0.001) but not including polyamines, showed negative associations with CVD, while smoking rate (r = 0.139, p = 0.041) and whole milk amount (r = 0.131, p = 0.028) showed positive associations with CVD. When the amount of polyamines was added to the analyses as a covariate, GDP (r = -0.864, p < 0.001) and polyamines (r = -0.355, p = 0.007) showed negative associations with CVD, while smoking rate (r = 0.183, p = 0.006) and whole milk (r = 0.113, p = 0.041) showed positive associations with CVD. The inverse association between dietary polyamines and CVD mortality revealed by the present study merits further evaluation.

  17. Binding of the Biogenic Polyamines to Deoxyribonucleic Acids of Varying Base Composition: Base Specificity and the Associated Energetics of the Interaction

    PubMed Central

    Kabir, Ayesha; Suresh Kumar, Gopinatha

    2013-01-01

    Background The thermodynamics of the base pair specificity of the binding of the polyamines spermine, spermidine, putrescine, and cadaverine with three genomic DNAs Clostridium perfringens, 27% GC, Escherichia coli, 50% GC and Micrococcus lysodeikticus, 72% GC have been studied using titration calorimetry and the data supplemented with melting studies, ethidium displacement and circular dichroism spectroscopy results. Methodology/Principal Findings Isothermal titration calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, optical melting studies, ethidium displacement, circular dichroism spectroscopy are the various techniques employed to characterize the interaction of four polyamines, spermine, spermidine, putersine and cadaverine with the DNAs. Polyamines bound stronger with AT rich DNA compared to the GC rich DNA and the binding varied depending on the charge on the polyamine as spermine>spermidine >putrescine>cadaverine. Thermodynamics of the interaction revealed that the binding was entropy driven with small enthalpy contribution. The binding was influenced by salt concentration suggesting the contribution from electrostatic forces to the Gibbs energy of binding to be the dominant contributor. Each system studied exhibited enthalpy-entropy compensation. The negative heat capacity changes suggested a role for hydrophobic interactions which may arise due to the non polar interactions between DNA and polyamines. Conclusion/Significance From a thermodynamic analysis, the AT base specificity of polyamines to DNAs has been elucidated for the first time and supplemented by structural studies. PMID:23894663

  18. Novel Occurrence of Uncommon Polyamines in Higher Plants 1

    PubMed Central

    Kuehn, Glenn D.; Rodriguez-Garay, Benjamin; Bagga, Suman; Phillips, Gregory C.

    1990-01-01

    Diamines and polyamines are ubiquitous components of living cells, and apparently are involved in numerous cellular and physiological processes. Certain “uncommon” polyamines have limited distribution in nature and have been associated primarily with organisms adapted to extreme environments, although the precise function of these polyamines in such organisms is unknown. This article summarizes current knowledge regarding the occurrence in higher plants of the uncommon polyamines related to and including norspermidine and norspermine. A putative biosynthetic pathway to account for the occurrences of these uncommon polyamines in higher plants is presented, with a summary of the supporting evidence indicating the existence of the requisite enzymatic activities in alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. PMID:16667862

  19. The role of polyamine catabolism in anti-tumour drug response.

    PubMed

    Casero, R A; Wang, Y; Stewart, T M; Devereux, W; Hacker, A; Wang, Y; Smith, R; Woster, P M

    2003-04-01

    Interest in polyamine catabolism has increased since it has been directly associated with the cytotoxic response of multiple tumour types to exposure to specific anti-tumour polyamine analogues. Human polyamine catabolism was considered to be a two-step pathway regulated by the rate-limiting enzyme spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT) that provides substrate for an acetylpolyamine oxidase (APAO). Further, the super-induction of SSAT by several anti-tumour polyamine analogues has been implicated in the cytotoxic response of specific solid-tumour phenotypes to these agents. This high induction of SSAT has been correlated with cellular response to the anti-tumour polyamine analogues in several systems and considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate the analogue-induced expression of SSAT. A polyamine response element has been identified and the transacting transcription factors that bind and stimulate transcription of SSAT have been cloned and characterized. The link between SSAT activity and cellular toxicity is thought to be based on the production of H(2)O(2) by the activity of the constitutive APAO that uses the SSAT-produced acetylated polyamines. The high induction of SSAT and the subsequent activity of APAO are linked to the cytotoxic response of some tumour cell types to specific polyamine analogues. However, we have recently cloned a variably spliced human polyamine oxidase (PAOh1) that is inducible by specific polyamine analogues, efficiently uses unacetylated spermine as a substrate, and also produces toxic H(2)O(2) as a product. The results of studies with PAOh1 suggest that it is an additional enzyme in polyamine catabolism that has the potential to significantly contribute to polyamine homoeostasis and drug response. Most importantly, PAOh1 is induced by specific polyamine analogues in a tumour-phenotype-specific manner in cell lines representative of the major forms of solid tumours, including

  20. Genomic identification and biochemical characterization of the mammalian polyamine oxidase involved in polyamine back-conversion.

    PubMed Central

    Vujcic, Slavoljub; Liang, Ping; Diegelman, Paula; Kramer, Debora L; Porter, Carl W

    2003-01-01

    In the polyamine back-conversion pathway, spermine and spermidine are first acetylated by spermidine/spermine N1 -acetyltransferase (SSAT) and then oxidized by polyamine oxidase (PAO) to produce spermidine and putrescine respectively. Although PAO was first purified more than two decades ago, the protein has not yet been linked to genomic sequences. In the present study, we apply a BLAST search strategy to identify novel oxidase sequences located on human chromosome 10 and mouse chromosome 7. Homologous mammalian cDNAs derived from human brain and mouse mammary tumour were deduced to encode proteins of approx. 55 kDa having 82% sequence identity. When either cDNA was transiently transfected into HEK-293 cells, intracellular spermine pools decreased by approx. 30%, whereas spermidine increased 2-4-fold. Lysates of human PAO cDNA-transfected HEK-293 cells, but not vector-transfected cells, rapidly oxidized N1-acetylspermine to spermidine. Substrate specificity determinations with the lysate assay revealed a preference ranking of N1-acetylspermine= N1-acetylspermidine> N1,N12-diacetylspermine>>spermine; spermidine was not acted upon. This ranking is identical to that reported for purified PAO and distinctly different from the recently identified spermine oxidase (SMO), which prefers spermine over N1-acetylspermine. Monoethyl- and diethylspermine analogues also served as substrates for PAO, and were internally cleaved adjacent to a secondary amine. We deduce that the present oxidase sequences are those of the FAD-dependent PAO involved in the polyamine back-conversion pathway. In Northern blot analysis, PAO mRNA was much less abundant in HEK-293 cells than SMO or SSAT mRNA, and all three were differentially induced in a similar manner by selected polyamine analogues. The identification of PAO sequences, together with the recently identified SMO sequences, provides new opportunities for understanding the dynamics of polyamine homoeostasis and for interpreting metabolic

  1. Polyamine is a critical determinant of Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 for GacS-dependent bacterial cell growth and biocontrol capacity.

    PubMed

    Park, Ju Yeon; Kang, Beom Ryong; Ryu, Choong-Min; Anderson, Anne J; Kim, Young Cheol

    2018-05-01

    The Gac/Rsm network regulates, at the transcriptional level, many beneficial traits in biocontrol-active pseudomonads. In this study, we used Phenotype MicroArrays, followed by specific growth studies and mutational analysis, to understand how catabolism is regulated by this sensor kinase system in the biocontrol isolate Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6. The growth of a gacS mutant was decreased significantly relative to that of the wild-type on ornithine and arginine, and on the precursor of these amino acids, N-acetyl-l-glutamic acid. The gacS mutant also showed reduced production of polyamines. Expression of the genes encoding arginine decarboxylase (speA) and ornithine decarboxylases (speC) was controlled at the transcriptional level by the GacS sensor of P. chlororaphis O6. Polyamine production was reduced in the speC mutant, and was eliminated in the speAspeC mutant. The addition of exogenous polyamines to the speAspeC mutant restored the in vitro growth inhibition of two fungal pathogens, as well as the secretion of three biological control-related factors: pyrrolnitrin, protease and siderophore. These results extend our knowledge of the regulation by the Gac/Rsm network in a biocontrol pseudomonad to include polyamine synthesis. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that bacterial polyamines act as important regulators of bacterial cell growth and biocontrol potential. © 2017 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

  2. Polyamine pathway inhibition as a novel therapeutic approach to treating neuroblastoma

    PubMed Central

    Gamble, Laura D.; Hogarty, Michael D.; Liu, Xueyuan; Ziegler, David S.; Marshall, Glenn; Norris, Murray D.; Haber, Michelle

    2012-01-01

    Polyamines are highly regulated essential cations that are elevated in rapidly proliferating tissues, including diverse cancers. Expression analyses in neuroblastomas suggest that up-regulation of polyamine pro-synthetic enzymes and down-regulation of catabolic enzymes is associated with poor prognosis. Polyamine sufficiency may be required for MYCN oncogenicity in MYCN amplified neuroblastoma, and targeting polyamine homeostasis may therefore provide an attractive therapeutic approach. ODC1, an oncogenic MYCN target, is rate-limiting for polyamine synthesis, and is overexpressed in many cancers including neuroblastoma. Inhibition of ODC1 by difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) decreased tumor penetrance in TH-MYCN mice treated pre-emptively, and extended survival and synergized with chemotherapy in treating established tumors in both TH-MYCN and xenograft models. Efforts to augment DFMO activity, or otherwise maximally reduce polyamine levels, are focused on antagonizing polyamine uptake or augmenting polyamine export or catabolism. Since polyamine inhibition appears to be clinically well tolerated, these approaches, particularly when combined with chemotherapy, have great potential for improving neuroblastoma outcome in both MYCN amplified and non-MYCN amplified neuroblastomas. PMID:23181218

  3. Polyamine catabolism is enhanced after traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Zahedi, Kamyar; Huttinger, Francis; Morrison, Ryan; Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Casero, Robert A; Strauss, Kenneth I

    2010-03-01

    Polyamines spermine and spermidine are highly regulated, ubiquitous aliphatic cations that maintain DNA structure and function as immunomodulators and as antioxidants. Polyamine homeostasis is disrupted after brain injuries, with concomitant generation of toxic metabolites that may contribute to secondary injuries. To test the hypothesis of increased brain polyamine catabolism after traumatic brain injury (TBI), we determined changes in catabolic enzymes and polyamine levels in the rat brain after lateral controlled cortical impact TBI. Spermine oxidase (SMO) catalyzes the degradation of spermine to spermidine, generating H2O2 and aminoaldehydes. Spermidine/spermine-N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT) catalyzes acetylation of these polyamines, and both are further oxidized in a reaction that generates putrescine, H2O2, and aminoaldehydes. In a rat cortical impact model of TBI, SSAT mRNA increased subacutely (6-24 h) after TBI in ipsilateral cortex and hippocampus. SMO mRNA levels were elevated late, from 3 to 7 days post-injury. Polyamine catabolism increased as well. Spermine levels were normal at 6 h and decreased slightly at 24 h, but were normal again by 72 h post-injury. Spermidine levels also decreased slightly (6-24 h), then increased by approximately 50% at 72 h post-injury. By contrast, normally low putrescine levels increased up to sixfold (6-72 h) after TBI. Moreover, N-acetylspermidine (but not N-acetylspermine) was detectable (24-72 h) near the site of injury, consistent with increased SSAT activity. None of these changes were seen in the contralateral hemisphere. Immunohistochemical confirmation indicated that SSAT and SMO were expressed throughout the brain. SSAT-immunoreactivity (SSAT-ir) increased in both neuronal and nonneuronal (likely glial) populations ipsilateral to injury. Interestingly, bilateral increases in cortical SSAT-ir neurons occurred at 72 h post-injury, whereas hippocampal changes occurred only ipsilaterally. Prolonged increases in brain

  4. Current Status of the Polyamine Research Field

    PubMed Central

    Pegg, Anthony E.; Casero, Robert A.

    2013-01-01

    This chapter provides an overview of the polyamine field and introduces the 32 other chapters that make up this volume. These chapters provide a wide range of methods, advice, and background relevant to studies of the function of polyamines, the regulation of their content, their role in disease, and the therapeutic potential of drugs targeting polyamine content and function. The methodology provided in this new volume will enable laboratories already working in this area to expand their experimental techniques and facilitate the entry of additional workers into this rapidly expanding field. PMID:21318864

  5. Mucosal polyamine metabolism in the columnar lined oesophagus.

    PubMed Central

    Gray, M R; Wallace, H M; Goulding, H; Hoffman, J; Kenyon, W E; Kingsnorth, A N

    1993-01-01

    Mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine content has been proposed as a possible marker for malignant potential in gastrointestinal mucosa. Polyamine content and histological findings were examined in 107 pairs of endoscopic biopsy specimens taken from gastric fundus, fundic and specialised Barrett's oesophagus and Barrett's adenocarcinoma. The content of putrescine (median nmol/mg protein, range) the primary product of ornithine decarboxylase showed a progressive increase from gastric fundus (0.41, 0.15-1.5); fundic (0.45, 0.01-4.08); specialised Barrett's oesophagus (0.54, 0.01-2.0); dysplastic columnar lined oesophagus (0.56, 0.31-3.1) to adenocarcinoma (1.23, 0.29-8.98). Adenocarcinoma putrescine content was significantly greater than gastric fundus (p < 0.018) and fundic (p < 0.03). Mucosal spermine, spermidine, and total polyamine values were greater in gastric fundus than fundic, specialised Barrett's oesophagus, and dysplastic columnar lined oesophagus (all p < 0.001) suggesting failure to further metabolise putrescine to its higher polyamines in the metaplastic epithelium. Although metaplastic columnar lined oesophagus shows significant differences in polyamine metabolic activity from the stomach the important distinction between specialised and dysplastic columnar lined oesophagus cannot be made by measuring the polyamine content. PMID:8504955

  6. Poison ivy/oak dermatitis. Use of polyamine salts of a linoleic acid dimer for topical prophylaxis.

    PubMed

    Orchard, S; Fellman, J H; Storrs, F J

    1986-07-01

    Closed patch tests were used to evaluate the ability of 156 different preparations (based on 22 different chemicals) to prevent poison ivy dermatitis. Several polyamine salts of a linoleic acid dimer were identified that were totally able to prevent the usual dermatitis in approximately 70% of subjects. The effectiveness of the preparations improved when the antigen and the protectant were washed off within eight to 12 hours, instead of remaining on the skin for 48 hours. When washed off, and depending on the protectant, concentration, and vehicle used, several of the preparations were totally able to prevent a dermatitis in a range of 56% to 100% of subjects tested. Further work with these compounds may greatly benefit the many people currently plagued by their allergy to poison ivy and poison oak.

  7. Bioinspired synthesis of a soft-nanofilament-based coating consisting of polysilsesquioxanes/polyamine and its divergent surface control.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Jian-Jun; Kimitsuka, Nobuo; Jin, Ren-Hua

    2013-04-24

    The synthesis of polysilsesquioxanes coating with controllable one-dimensional nanostructure on substrates remains a major long-term challenge by conventional solution-phase method. The hydrolytic polycondensation of organosilanes in solution normally produces a mixture of incomplete cages, ladderlike, and network structures, resulting in the poor control of the formation of specific nanostructure. This paper describes a simple aqueous process to synthesize nanofilament-based coatings of polysilsesquioxanes possessing various organo-functional groups (for example, thiol, methyl, phenyl, vinyl, and epoxy). We utilized a self-assembled nanostructured polyamine layer as a biomimetically catalytic scaffold/template to direct the formation of one-dimensional nanofilament of polysilsesquioxanes by temporally and spatially controlled hydrolytic polycondensation of organosilane. The surface nanostructure and morphology of polysilsesquioxane coating could be modulated by changing hydrolysis and condensation reaction conditions, and the orientation of nanofilaments of polysilsesquioxanes on substrates could be controlled by simply adjusting the self-assembly conditions of polyamine layer. The nanostructure and polyamine@polysilsesquioxane hybrid composition of nanofilament-based coatings were examined by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The template role of nanostructured polyamine layer for the formation of polysilsesquioxane nanofilament was confirmed by combining thin film X-ray diffraction (XRD) and XPS measurements. Moreover, these nanotextured coatings with various organo-functional groups could be changed into superhydrophobic surfaces after surface modification with fluorocarbon molecule.

  8. Efficient syntheses of polyamine and polyamine amide voltage-sensitive calcium channel blockers: FTX-3.3 and sFTX-3.3.

    PubMed

    Moya, E; Blagbrough, I S

    1996-02-01

    Efficient syntheses of FTX-3.3 and sFTX-3.3, voltage-sensitive calcium channel blockers are described. These modified polyamines were prepared from selectively protected polyamines and purified on a practical scale.

  9. Use of an Amino Acid Mixture in Treatment of Phenylketonuria

    PubMed Central

    Bentovim, A.; Clayton, Barbara E.; Francis, Dorothy E. M.; Shepherd, Jean; Wolff, O. H.

    1970-01-01

    Twelve children with phenylketonuria diagnosed and treated from the first few weeks of life were grouped into pairs. Before the trial all of them were receiving a commercial preparation containing a protein hydrolysate low in phenylalanine (Cymogran, Allen and Hanburys Ltd.) as a substitute for natural protein. One of each pair was given an amino acid mixture instead of Cymogran for about 6 months. Use of the mixture involved considerable modification of the diet, and in particular the inclusion of greater amounts of phenylalanine-free foods. All six accepted the new mixture without difficulty, food problems were greatly reduced, parents welcomed the new preparation, and the quality of family life improved. Normal growth was maintained and with a mixture of l amino acids the plasma and urinary amino acid levels were normal. Further studies are needed before the mixture can be recommended for children under 20 months of age. PMID:5477678

  10. Simultaneous separation and quantitation of amino acids and polyamines of forest tree tissues and cell cultures within a single high-performance liquid chromatography run using dansyl derivatization

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Stephanie Long

    2004-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to develop a rapid HPLC method for simultaneous separation and quantitation of dansylated amino acids and common polyamines in the same matrix for analyzing forest tree tissues and cell cultures. The major modifications incorporated into this method as compared to previously published HPLC methods for separation of only dansyl...

  11. Targeting polyamine metabolism for cancer therapy and prevention

    PubMed Central

    Murray-Stewart, Tracy R.; Woster, Patrick M.; Casero, Robert A.

    2017-01-01

    The chemically simple, biologically complex eukaryotic polyamines, spermidine and spermine, are positively charged alkylamines involved in many crucial cellular processes. Along with their diamine precursor putrescine, their normally high intracellular concentrations require fine attenuation by multiple regulatory mechanisms to keep these essential molecules within strict physiologic ranges. Since the metabolism of and requirement for polyamines are frequently dysregulated in neoplastic disease, the metabolic pathway and functions of polyamines provide rational drug targets; however, these targets have been difficult to exploit for chemotherapy. It is the goal of this article to review the latest findings in the field that demonstrate the potential utility of targeting the metabolism and function of polyamines as strategies for both chemotherapy and, possibly more importantly, chemoprevention. PMID:27679855

  12. Polyamine Catabolism Is Enhanced after Traumatic Brain Injury

    PubMed Central

    Zahedi, Kamyar; Huttinger, Francis; Morrison, Ryan; Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Casero, Robert A.

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Polyamines spermine and spermidine are highly regulated, ubiquitous aliphatic cations that maintain DNA structure and function as immunomodulators and as antioxidants. Polyamine homeostasis is disrupted after brain injuries, with concomitant generation of toxic metabolites that may contribute to secondary injuries. To test the hypothesis of increased brain polyamine catabolism after traumatic brain injury (TBI), we determined changes in catabolic enzymes and polyamine levels in the rat brain after lateral controlled cortical impact TBI. Spermine oxidase (SMO) catalyzes the degradation of spermine to spermidine, generating H2O2 and aminoaldehydes. Spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) catalyzes acetylation of these polyamines, and both are further oxidized in a reaction that generates putrescine, H2O2, and aminoaldehydes. In a rat cortical impact model of TBI, SSAT mRNA increased subacutely (6–24 h) after TBI in ipsilateral cortex and hippocampus. SMO mRNA levels were elevated late, from 3 to 7 days post-injury. Polyamine catabolism increased as well. Spermine levels were normal at 6 h and decreased slightly at 24 h, but were normal again by 72 h post-injury. Spermidine levels also decreased slightly (6–24 h), then increased by ∼50% at 72 h post-injury. By contrast, normally low putrescine levels increased up to sixfold (6–72 h) after TBI. Moreover, N-acetylspermidine (but not N-acetylspermine) was detectable (24–72 h) near the site of injury, consistent with increased SSAT activity. None of these changes were seen in the contralateral hemisphere. Immunohistochemical confirmation indicated that SSAT and SMO were expressed throughout the brain. SSAT-immunoreactivity (SSAT-ir) increased in both neuronal and nonneuronal (likely glial) populations ipsilateral to injury. Interestingly, bilateral increases in cortical SSAT-ir neurons occurred at 72 h post-injury, whereas hippocampal changes occurred only ipsilaterally

  13. Self-Immolative Polycations as Gene Delivery Vectors and Prodrugs Targeting Polyamine Metabolism in Cancer

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Polycations are explored as carriers to deliver therapeutic nucleic acids. Polycations are conventionally pharmacological inert with the sole function of delivering therapeutic cargo. This study reports synthesis of a self-immolative polycation (DSS-BEN) based on a polyamine analogue drug N1,N11-bisethylnorspermine (BENSpm). The polycation was designed to function dually as a gene delivery carrier and a prodrug targeting dysregulated polyamine metabolism in cancer. Using a combination of NMR and HPLC, we confirm that the self-immolative polycation undergoes intracellular degradation into the parent drug BENSpm. The released BENSpm depletes cellular levels of spermidine and spermine and upregulates polyamine catabolic enzymes spermine/spermidine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and spermine oxidase (SMO). The synthesized polycations form polyplexes with DNA and facilitate efficient transfection. Taking advantage of the ability of BENSpm to sensitize cancer cells to TNFα-induced apoptosis, we show that DSS-BEN enhances the cell killing activity of TNFα gene therapy. The reported findings validate DSS-BEN as a dual-function delivery system that can deliver a therapeutic gene and improve the outcome of gene therapy as a result of the intracellular degradation of DSS-BEN to BENSpm and the subsequent beneficial effect of BENSpm on dysregulated polyamine metabolism in cancer. PMID:25153488

  14. Ionotropic Chemosensory Receptors Mediate the Taste and Smell of Polyamines.

    PubMed

    Hussain, Ashiq; Zhang, Mo; Üçpunar, Habibe K; Svensson, Thomas; Quillery, Elsa; Gompel, Nicolas; Ignell, Rickard; Grunwald Kadow, Ilona C

    2016-05-01

    The ability to find and consume nutrient-rich diets for successful reproduction and survival is fundamental to animal life. Among the nutrients important for all animals are polyamines, a class of pungent smelling compounds required in numerous cellular and organismic processes. Polyamine deficiency or excess has detrimental effects on health, cognitive function, reproduction, and lifespan. Here, we show that a diet high in polyamine is beneficial and increases reproductive success of flies, and we unravel the sensory mechanisms that attract Drosophila to polyamine-rich food and egg-laying substrates. Using a combination of behavioral genetics and in vivo calcium imaging, we demonstrate that Drosophila uses multisensory detection to find and evaluate polyamines present in overripe and fermenting fruit, their favored feeding and egg-laying substrate. In the olfactory system, two coexpressed ionotropic receptors (IRs), IR76b and IR41a, mediate the long-range attraction to the odor. In the gustatory system, multimodal taste sensation by IR76b receptor and GR66a bitter receptor neurons is used to evaluate quality and valence of the polyamine providing a mechanism for the fly's high attraction to polyamine-rich and sweet decaying fruit. Given their universal and highly conserved biological roles, we propose that the ability to evaluate food for polyamine content may impact health and reproductive success also of other animals including humans.

  15. Ionotropic Chemosensory Receptors Mediate the Taste and Smell of Polyamines

    PubMed Central

    Üçpunar, Habibe K.; Svensson, Thomas; Quillery, Elsa; Gompel, Nicolas; Ignell, Rickard; Grunwald Kadow, Ilona C.

    2016-01-01

    The ability to find and consume nutrient-rich diets for successful reproduction and survival is fundamental to animal life. Among the nutrients important for all animals are polyamines, a class of pungent smelling compounds required in numerous cellular and organismic processes. Polyamine deficiency or excess has detrimental effects on health, cognitive function, reproduction, and lifespan. Here, we show that a diet high in polyamine is beneficial and increases reproductive success of flies, and we unravel the sensory mechanisms that attract Drosophila to polyamine-rich food and egg-laying substrates. Using a combination of behavioral genetics and in vivo calcium imaging, we demonstrate that Drosophila uses multisensory detection to find and evaluate polyamines present in overripe and fermenting fruit, their favored feeding and egg-laying substrate. In the olfactory system, two coexpressed ionotropic receptors (IRs), IR76b and IR41a, mediate the long-range attraction to the odor. In the gustatory system, multimodal taste sensation by IR76b receptor and GR66a bitter receptor neurons is used to evaluate quality and valence of the polyamine providing a mechanism for the fly’s high attraction to polyamine-rich and sweet decaying fruit. Given their universal and highly conserved biological roles, we propose that the ability to evaluate food for polyamine content may impact health and reproductive success also of other animals including humans. PMID:27145030

  16. Effect of mitoguazone on polyamine oxidase activity in rat liver.

    PubMed

    Ferioli, Maria Elena; Berselli, Debora; Caimi, Samuela

    2004-12-01

    Mitoguazone is a known inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis through competitive inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. A recent renewed interest in mitoguazone as an antineoplastic agent prompted us to investigate the effect of the drug on polyamine catabolism in rat liver, since the organ plays an important role in detoxification mechanisms. Thus, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of in vivo mitoguazone administration on polyamine catabolic enzymes. In particular, our interest was directed to the changes in polyamine oxidase activity, since this enzyme has been recently confirmed to exert important functions that until now were underestimated. Mitoguazone administration induced hepatic polyamine oxidase activity starting at 4 h after administration, and the enzyme returned to basal levels 96 h after treatment. The changes in enzyme activity were accompanied by changes in putrescine concentrations, which increased starting at 4 h until 72 h after treatment. We also evaluated the activity of the newly identified spermine oxidase, which was not significantly changed by mitoguazone treatment. Therefore, we hypothesized that the enzyme involved in mitoguazone response of the liver is the polyamine oxidase, which acts on acetylated polyamines as substrate.

  17. Colloidal properties of single component naphthenic acids and complex naphthenic acid mixtures.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, Mohamed H; Wilson, Lee D; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V

    2013-04-01

    Tensiometry was used to provide estimates of the critical micelle concentration (cmc) values for three sources of naphthenic acids (NAs) and three examples of single component NAs (S1-S3) in aqueous solution at pH 10.5 and 295 K. Two commercially available mixtures of NAs and an industrially derived mixture of NAs obtained from Alberta oil sands process water (OSPW) were investigated. The three examples of single component NAs (C(n)H(2n+z)O2) were chosen with variable z-series to represent chemical structures with 0-2 rings, as follows: 2-hexyldecanoic acid (z=0; S1), trans-4-pentylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid (z=-2; S2) and dicyclohexylacetic acid (z=-4; S3). The estimated cmc values for S1 (35.6 μM), S2 (0.545 mM), and S3 (4.71 mM) vary over a wide range according to their relative lipophile characteristics of each carboxylate anion. The cmc values for the three complex mixtures of NAs were evaluated. Two disctinct cmc values were observed (second listed in brackets) as follows: Commercial sample 1; 50.9 μM (109 μM), Commercial sample 2; 22.3 μM (52.2 μM), and Alberta derived OSPW; 154 μM (417 μM). These results provide strong support favouring two general classes of NAs in the mixtures investigated with distinct cmc values. We propose that the two groups may be linked to a recalcitrant fraction with a relatively large range of cmc values (52.2-417 μM) and a readily biodegradable fraction with a relatively low range of cmc values (22.3-154 μM) depending on the source of NAs in a given mixture. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Pacific oyster polyamine oxidase: a protein missing link in invertebrate evolution.

    PubMed

    Cervelli, Manuela; Polticelli, Fabio; Angelucci, Emanuela; Di Muzio, Elena; Stano, Pasquale; Mariottini, Paolo

    2015-05-01

    Polyamine oxidases catalyse the oxidation of polyamines and acetylpolyamines and are responsible for the polyamine interconversion metabolism in animal cells. Polyamine oxidases from yeast can oxidize spermine, N(1)-acetylspermine, and N(1)-acetylspermidine, while in vertebrates two different enzymes, namely spermine oxidase and acetylpolyamine oxidase, specifically catalyse the oxidation of spermine, and N(1)-acetylspermine/N(1)-acetylspermidine, respectively. In this work we proved that the specialized vertebrate spermine and acetylpolyamine oxidases have arisen from an ancestor invertebrate polyamine oxidase with lower specificity for polyamine substrates, as demonstrated by the enzymatic activity of the mollusc polyamine oxidase characterized here. This is the first report of an invertebrate polyamine oxidase, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (CgiPAO), overexpressed as a recombinant protein. This enzyme was biochemically characterized and demonstrated to be able to oxidase both N(1)-acetylspermine and spermine, albeit with different efficiency. Circular dichroism analysis gave an estimation of the secondary structure content and modelling of the three-dimensional structure of this protein and docking studies highlighted active site features. The availability of this pluripotent enzyme can have applications in crystallographic studies and pharmaceutical biotechnologies, including anticancer therapy as a source of hydrogen peroxide able to induce cancer cell death.

  19. Involvement of polyamine oxidase in abscisic acid-induced cytosolic antioxidant defense in leaves of maize.

    PubMed

    Xue, Beibei; Zhang, Aying; Jiang, Mingyi

    2009-03-01

    Using pharmacological and biochemical approaches, the role of maize polyamine oxidase (MPAO) in abscisic acid (ABA)-induced antioxidant defense in leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) plants was investigated. Exogenous ABA treatment enhanced the expression of the MPAO gene and the activities of apoplastic MPAO. Pretreatment with two different inhibitors for apoplastic MPAO partly reduced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation induced by ABA and blocked the ABA-induced expression of the antioxidant genes superoxide dismutase 4 and cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase and the activities of the cytosolic antioxidant enzymes. Treatment with spermidine, the optimum substrate of MPAO, also induced the expression and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes, and the upregulation of the antioxidant enzymes was prevented by two inhibitors of MPAO and two scavengers of H2O2. These results suggest that MPAO contributes to ABA-induced cytosolic antioxidant defense through H2O2, a Spd catabolic product.

  20. Early activation of wheat polyamine biosynthesis during Fusarium head blight implicates putrescine as an inducer of trichothecene mycotoxin production

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) disease on wheat which can lead to trichothecene mycotoxin (e.g. deoxynivalenol, DON) contamination of grain, harmful to mammalian health. DON is produced at low levels under standard culture conditions when compared to plant infection but specific polyamines (e.g. putrescine and agmatine) and amino acids (e.g. arginine and ornithine) are potent inducers of DON by F. graminearum in axenic culture. Currently, host factors that promote mycotoxin synthesis during FHB are unknown, but plant derived polyamines could contribute to DON induction in infected heads. However, the temporal and spatial accumulation of polyamines and amino acids in relation to that of DON has not been studied. Results Following inoculation of susceptible wheat heads by F. graminearum, DON accumulation was detected at two days after inoculation. The accumulation of putrescine was detected as early as one day following inoculation while arginine and cadaverine were also produced at three and four days post-inoculation. Transcripts of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginine decarboxylase (ADC), two key biosynthetic enzymes for putrescine biosynthesis, were also strongly induced in heads at two days after inoculation. These results indicated that elicitation of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway is an early response to FHB. Transcripts for genes encoding enzymes acting upstream in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway as well as those of ODC and ADC, and putrescine levels were also induced in the rachis, a flower organ supporting DON production and an important route for pathogen colonisation during FHB. A survey of 24 wheat genotypes with varying responses to FHB showed putrescine induction is a general response to inoculation and no correlation was observed between the accumulation of putrescine and infection or DON accumulation. Conclusions The activation of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway and putrescine in

  1. Molecular Pathways: Disrupting polyamine homeostasis as a therapeutic strategy for neuroblastoma

    PubMed Central

    Evageliou, Nicholas F.; Hogarty, Michael D.

    2009-01-01

    MYC genes are deregulated in a plurality of human cancers. Through direct and indirect mechanisms the MYC network regulates the expression of >15% of the human genome, including both protein-coding and non-coding RNAs. This complexity has complicated efforts to define the principal pathways mediating MYC’s oncogenic activity. MYC plays a central role providing for the bioenergetic and biomass needs of proliferating cells, and polyamines are essential cell constituents supporting many of these functions. The rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, ODC, is a bona fide MYC target, as are other regulatory enzymes in this pathway. A wealth of data link enhanced polyamine biosynthesis to cancer progression, and polyamine-depletion may limit malignant transformation of pre-neoplastic lesions. Studies using transgenic cancer models also supports that the effect of MYC on tumor initiation and progression can be attenuated through repression of polyamine production. High-risk neuroblastomas (an often lethal embryonal tumor in which MYC activation is paramount) deregulate numerous polyamine enzymes to promote expansion of intracellular polyamine pools. Selective inhibition of key enzymes in this pathway, e.g., using DFMO and/or SAM486, reduces tumorigenesis and synergizes with chemotherapy to regress tumors in pre-clinical models. Here we review the potential clinical application of these and additional polyamine-depletion agents to neuroblastoma and other advanced cancers in which MYC is operative. PMID:19789308

  2. PLASMA PROTEIN PRODUCTION INFLUENCED BY AMINO ACID MIXTURES AND LACK OF ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS

    PubMed Central

    Madden, S. C.; Anderson, F. W.; Donovan, J. C.; Whipple, G. H.

    1945-01-01

    When blood plasma proteins are depleted by bleeding with return of red cells suspended in saline (plasmapheresis) it is possible to bring dogs to a steady state of hypoproteinemia and a constant level of plasma protein production if the diet nitrogen intake is controlled and limited. Such dogs are outwardly normal but have a lowered resistance to infection and intoxication and probably to vitamin deficiency. When the diet nitrogen is provided by certain mixtures of the ten growth essential amino acids plus glycine, given intravenously at a rapid rate, plasma protein production is good. The same mixture absorbed subcutaneously at a slower rate may be slightly better utilized. Fed orally the same mixture is better utilized and associated with a lower urinary nitrogen excretion. An ample amino acid mixture for the daily intake of a 10 kilo dog may contain in grams dl-threonine 1.4, dl-valine 3, dl-leucine 3, dl-isoleucine 2, l(+)-lysine·HCl·H2O 2.2, dl-tryptophane 0.3, dl-phenylalanine 2, dl-methionine 1.2, l(+)-histidine·HCl·H2O 1, l(+)-arginine·HCl 1, and glycine 2. Half this quantity is inadequate and not improved by addition of a mixture of alanine, serine, norleucine, proline, hydroxyproline, and tyrosine totalling 1.4 gm. Aspartic acid appears to induce vomiting when added to a mixture of amino acids. The same response has been reported for glutamic acid (8). Omission from the intake of leucine or of leucine and isoleucine results in negative nitrogen balance and rapid weight loss but plasma protein production may be temporarily maintained. It is possible that leucine may be captured from red blood cell destruction. Tryptophane deficiency causes an abrupt decline in plasma protein production. No decline occurred during 2 weeks of histidine deficiency but the urinary nitrogen increased to negative balance. Plasma protein production may be impaired during conditions of dietary deficiency not related to the protein or amino acid intake. Skin lesions and liver

  3. Characterization of antilipolytic action of polyamines in isolated rat adipocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Richelsen, B; Pedersen, S B; Hougaard, D M

    1989-01-01

    The interactions of polyamines with the lipolytic system were studied in isolated rat adipocytes. Spermine, spermidine and putrescine significantly inhibited adenosine deaminase-stimulated lipolysis. An antilipolytic effect of spermine was detectable at a concentration of 0.25 mM (P less than 0.05). At a concentration of 10 mM all three polyamines inhibited the stimulated lipolysis by 50-60% (P less than 0.001). In addition, spermine enhanced the antilipolytic sensitivity of insulin. Spermine (1 mM) decreased the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of insulin from 320 +/- 70 pM to 56 +/- 20 pM (P less than 0.01). The antilipolytic effects and the cyclic-AMP-lowering effects of the polyamines were almost completely prevented in the presence of different phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and RO 20-1724) and, in addition, polyamines had no effect on lipolysis stimulated by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, indicating that polyamines may inhibit lipolysis by activating the PDE enzyme. This latter suggestion was confirmed by demonstrating that spermine (5 mM) significantly enhanced the low-Km PDE enzyme activity (P less than 0.01). Finally, the amounts of polyamines present in isolated adipocytes were measured, and the estimated cytoplasmic concentrations were 0.02 mM (putrescine), 0.86 mM (spermidine), and 1.0 mM (spermine). It is concluded that polyamines may possibly be involved in the physiological regulation of triacylglycerol mobilization in adipocytes. PMID:2476118

  4. Polyamine biosynthesis is critical for growth and differentiation of the pancreas

    PubMed Central

    Mastracci, Teresa L.; Robertson, Morgan A.; Mirmira, Raghavendra G.; Anderson, Ryan M.

    2015-01-01

    The pancreas, in most studied vertebrates, is a compound organ with both exocrine and endocrine functions. The exocrine compartment makes and secretes digestive enzymes, while the endocrine compartment, organized into islets of Langerhans, produces hormones that regulate blood glucose. High concentrations of polyamines, which are aliphatic amines, are reported in exocrine and endocrine cells, with insulin-producing β cells showing the highest concentrations. We utilized zebrafish as a model organism, together with pharmacological inhibition or genetic manipulation, to determine how polyamine biosynthesis functions in pancreatic organogenesis. We identified that inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis reduces exocrine pancreas and β cell mass, and that these reductions are at the level of differentiation. Moreover, we demonstrate that inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, phenocopies inhibition or knockdown of the enzyme deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS). These data identify that the pancreatic requirement for polyamine biosynthesis is largely mediated through a requirement for spermidine for the downstream posttranslational modification of eIF5A by its enzymatic activator DHS, which in turn impacts mRNA translation. Altogether, we have uncovered a role for polyamine biosynthesis in pancreatic organogenesis and identified that it may be possible to exploit polyamine biosynthesis to manipulate pancreatic cell differentiation. PMID:26299433

  5. Regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis by polyamines. Reversal by spermine of inhibition by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) of ribonucleic acid synthesis and histone acetylation in rabbit heart.

    PubMed

    Caldarera, C M; Casti, A; Guarnier, C; Moruzzi, G

    1975-10-01

    The relationship between polyamines and RNA synthesis was studied by considering the action of spermine on histone acetylation in perfused heart. In addition, the effect of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), inhibitor of putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity, on RNA and polyamine specific radioactivity and on acetylation of histone fractions was also investigated in perfused heart. Different concentrations of spermine and/or methylglyoxas bis(guanylhydrazone) were injected into the heart, 15 min after beginning the perfusion. The results demonstrate that spermine stimulates the specific radioactivity of RNA of subcellular fractions. Acetylation of the arginine-rich histone fractions, involved in the regulation of RNA transcription, is enhanced by spermine. The perfusion with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) causes a decrease in the specific radioactivity of polyamines and RNA, and in acetylation of histone fractions. However, spermine is able to reverse the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibition when injected simultaneously. From these results we may assume a possible role for spermine in the regulation of RNA transcription.

  6. Regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis by polyamines. Reversal by spermine of inhibition by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) of ribonucleic acid synthesis and histone acetylation in rabbit heart.

    PubMed Central

    Caldarera, C M; Casti, A; Guarnier, C; Moruzzi, G

    1975-01-01

    The relationship between polyamines and RNA synthesis was studied by considering the action of spermine on histone acetylation in perfused heart. In addition, the effect of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), inhibitor of putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity, on RNA and polyamine specific radioactivity and on acetylation of histone fractions was also investigated in perfused heart. Different concentrations of spermine and/or methylglyoxas bis(guanylhydrazone) were injected into the heart, 15 min after beginning the perfusion. The results demonstrate that spermine stimulates the specific radioactivity of RNA of subcellular fractions. Acetylation of the arginine-rich histone fractions, involved in the regulation of RNA transcription, is enhanced by spermine. The perfusion with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) causes a decrease in the specific radioactivity of polyamines and RNA, and in acetylation of histone fractions. However, spermine is able to reverse the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibition when injected simultaneously. From these results we may assume a possible role for spermine in the regulation of RNA transcription. PMID:1212228

  7. [The effect of polyamines on lysosome fusion with phagosomes in mouse peritoneal macrophages].

    PubMed

    Mozhenok, T P; Bulychev, A G; Braun, A D

    1990-01-01

    The influence of polyamines on the phagosome-lysosome fusion in murine peritoneal macrophages and on polymerization of G-actin from the rabbit muscle in vitro has been studied. Both natural polyamines (spermin, spermidin, putrescin) and synthetic phenyl derivates of polyamines (3,3'-diaminobensidin, 1,5-naphtalin diamine, 4,4'-diaminodiphenilmetan, dancylcadaverin) were used. Unlike the phenyl derivates of polyamines and putrescin, spermin and spermidin stimulate the phagosome-lysosome fusion to induce G-actin polymerization. Possible mechanisms of action of the above polyamines are discussed.

  8. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry of hydrophobic proteins in mixtures using formic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, and sorbitol.

    PubMed

    Loo, Rachel R Ogorzalek; Loo, Joseph A

    2007-02-01

    Three MALDI-MS sample/matrix preparation approaches were evaluated for their ability to enhance hydrophobic protein detection from complex mixtures: (1) formic acid-based formulations, (2) perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) surfactant addition, and (3) sorbitol addition. While MALDI-MS of Escherichia coli cells desorbed from a standard sinapinic acid matrix displayed 94 (M + H)+ ions, 119 were observed from a formic acid-based matrix with no more than 10 common to both. Formic acid matrix revealed many lipoproteins and an 8282 m/z ion proposed to be the abundant, water-insoluble ATPase proteolipid. Among the formic acid-based cocktails examined, the slowest rate of serine/threonine formylation was found for 50% H2O/33% 2-propanol/17% formic acid. Faster formylation was observed from cocktails containing more formic acid and from mixtures including CH3CN. Sinapinic, ferulic, DHB, 4-hydroxybenzylidene malononitrile, and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole matrixes performed well in formic acid formulations. Dramatic differences in mixture spectra were also observed from PFOA/sinapinic acid, at detergent concentrations exceeding the critical micelle concentration, although these matrix cocktails proved difficult to crystallize. E. coli ions observed from these matrix conditions are listed in Tables S-1 and S-3 (Supporting Information). Similar complementarity was observed for M. acetivorans whole-cell mixtures. Including sorbitol in the sinapinic acid matrix was found to promote homogeneous crystallization and to enhance medium and higher m/z ion detection from dilute E. coli cellular mixtures.

  9. Identification of a Novel Aminopropyltransferase Involved in the Synthesis of Branched-Chain Polyamines in Hyperthermophiles

    PubMed Central

    Okada, Kazuma; Hidese, Ryota; Fukuda, Wakao; Niitsu, Masaru; Takao, Koichi; Horai, Yuhei; Umezawa, Naoki; Higuchi, Tsunehiko; Oshima, Tairo; Yoshikawa, Yuko; Imanaka, Tadayuki

    2014-01-01

    Longer- and/or branched-chain polyamines are unique polycations found in thermophiles. N4-aminopropylspermine is considered a major polyamine in Thermococcus kodakarensis. To determine whether a quaternary branched penta-amine, N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine, an isomer of N4-aminopropylspermine, was also present, acid-extracted cytoplasmic polyamines were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, gas chromatography (HPLC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine was an abundant cytoplasmic polyamine in this species. To identify the enzyme that catalyzes N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine synthesis, the active fraction was concentrated from the cytoplasm and analyzed by linear ion trap–time of flight mass spectrometry with an electrospray ionization instrument after analysis by the MASCOT database. TK0545, TK0548, TK0967, and TK1691 were identified as candidate enzymes, and the corresponding genes were individually cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant forms were purified, and their N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine synthesis activity was measured. Of the four candidates, TK1691 (BpsA) was found to synthesize N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine from spermidine via N4-aminopropylspermidine. Compared to the wild type, the bpsA-disrupted strain DBP1 grew at 85°C with a slightly longer lag phase but was unable to grow at 93°C. HPLC analysis showed that both N4-aminopropylspermidine and N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine were absent from the DBP1 strain grown at 85°C, demonstrating that the branched-chain polyamine synthesized by BpsA is important for cell growth at 93°C. Sequence comparison to orthologs from various microorganisms indicated that BpsA differed from other known aminopropyltransferases that produce spermidine and spermine. BpsA orthologs were found only in thermophiles, both in archaea and bacteria, but were absent from mesophiles. These findings indicate that BpsA is a novel aminopropyltransferase essential for the

  10. Cellular content and biosynthesis of polyamines during rooster spermatogenesis.

    PubMed Central

    Oliva, R; Vidal, S; Mezquita, C

    1982-01-01

    The natural polyamines spermine and spermidine, and the diamine putrescine, were extracted from rooster testis cells separated by sedimentation at unit gravity, and from vas-deferens spermatozoa. The ratios spermine/DNA and spermidine/DNA were kept relatively constant throughout spermatogenesis, whereas the ratio putrescine/DNA rose in elongated spermatids. The cellular content of spermine, spermidine and putrescine decreased markedly in mature spermatozoa. Two rate-limiting enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of polyamines, ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase, showed their highest activities at the end of spermiogenesis and were not detectable in vas-deferens spermatozoa. A marked reduction in cell volume during spermiogenesis without a parallel decrease in the cellular content of polyamines suggests the possibility that the marked changes in chromatin composition and structure occurring in rooster late spermatids could take place in an ambience of high polyamine concentration. Images PLATE 1 PMID:7159401

  11. Cinnamic acid-inhibited ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity is mediated through decreased spermine and changes in the ratio of polyamines in cowpea.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xingxue; Bie, Zhilong

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of cinnamic acid (CA) on ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPC) activity and the endogenous polyamine levels of cowpea leaves. The results show that 0.1 mM CA treatment decreased photosynthetic rate (P(n)) and RuBPC activity, but it did not affect the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (F(v)/F(m)), the actual photochemical efficiency of PSII (PhiPSII), intercellular CO(2) concentration (C(i)), and relative chlorophyll content. These suggest that the decrease in P(n) is at least partially attributed to a lowered RuBPC activity. In addition, 0.1 mM CA treatment increased the putrescine (Put) level, but decreased spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) levels, thereby reducing the (Spd+Spm)/Put (PAs) ratio in the leaves. The exogenous application of 1 mM Spd markedly reversed these CA-induced effects for polyamine and partially restored the PAs ratio and RuBPC activity in leaves. Methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), which is an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), results in the inability of activated cells to synthesize Spd and exacerbates the negative effects induced by CA. The exogenous application of 1 mM D-arginine (D-Arg), which is an inhibitor of Put biosynthesis, decreased the levels of Put, but increased the PAs ratio and RuBPC activity in leaves. These results suggest that 0.1 mM CA inhibits RuBPC activity by decreasing the levels of endogenous free and perchloric acid soluble (PS) conjugated Spm, as well as the PAs ratio.

  12. Generation of EMS-Mutagenized Populations of Arabidopsis thaliana for Polyamine Genetics.

    PubMed

    Atanasov, Kostadin E; Liu, Changxin; Tiburcio, Antonio F; Alcázar, Rubén

    2018-01-01

    In the recent years, genetic engineering of polyamine biosynthetic genes has provided evidence for their involvement in plant stress responses and different aspects of plant development. Such approaches are being complemented with the use of reverse genetics, in which mutants affected on a particular trait, tightly associated with polyamines, are isolated and the causal genes mapped. Reverse genetics enables the identification of novel genes in the polyamine pathway, which may be involved in downstream signaling, transport, homeostasis, or perception. Here, we describe a basic protocol for the generation of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenized populations of Arabidopsis thaliana for its use in reverse genetics applied to polyamines.

  13. Perturbation of polyamine catabolism affects grape ripening of Vitis vinifera cv. Trincadeira.

    PubMed

    Agudelo-Romero, Patricia; Ali, Kashif; Choi, Young H; Sousa, Lisete; Verpoorte, Rob; Tiburcio, Antonio F; Fortes, Ana M

    2014-01-01

    Grapes are economically the most important fruit worldwide. However, the complexity of biological events that lead to ripening of nonclimacteric fruits is not fully understood, particularly the role of polyamines' catabolism. The transcriptional and metabolic profilings complemented with biochemical data were studied during ripening of Trincadeira grapes submitted to guazatine treatment, a potent inhibitor of polyamine oxidase activity. The mRNA expression profiles of one time point (EL 38) corresponding to harvest stage was compared between mock and guazatine treatments using Affymetrix GrapeGen(®) genome array. A total of 2113 probesets (1880 unigenes) were differentially expressed between these samples. Quantitative RT-PCR validated microarrays results being carried out for EL 35 (véraison berries), EL 36 (ripe berries) and EL 38 (harvest stage berries). Metabolic profiling using HPLC and (1)H NMR spectroscopy showed increase of putrescine, proline, threonine and 1-O-ethyl-β-glucoside in guazatine treated samples. Genes involved in amino acid, carbohydrate and water transport were down-regulated in guazatine treated samples suggesting that the strong dehydrated phenotype obtained in guazatine treated samples may be due to impaired transport mechanisms. Genes involved in terpenes' metabolism were differentially expressed between guazatine and mock treated samples. Altogether, results support an important role of polyamine catabolism in grape ripening namely in cell expansion and aroma development. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. Exogenous polyamines elicit herbivore-induced volatiles in lima bean leaves: involvement of calcium, H2O2 and Jasmonic acid.

    PubMed

    Ozawa, Rika; Bertea, Cinzia M; Foti, Maria; Narayana, Ravishankar; Arimura, Gen-Ichiro; Muroi, Atsushi; Horiuchi, Jun-Ichiro; Nishioka, Takaaki; Maffei, Massimo E; Takabayashi, Junji

    2009-12-01

    We investigated the role of polyamines (PAs) in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) leaves on the production of herbivorous mite (Tetranychus urticae)-induced plant volatiles that attract carnivorous natural enemies of the herbivores. To do this, we focused on the effects of the exogenous PAs [cadaverine, putrescine, spermidine and spermine (Spm)] on the production of volatiles, H(2)O(2) and jasmonic acid (JA) and the levels of defensive genes, cytosolic calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Among the tested PAs, Spm was the most active in inducing the production of volatile terpenoids known to be induced by T. urticae. An increase in JA levels was also found after Spm treatment, indicating that Spm induces the biosynthesis of JA, which has been shown elsewhere to regulate the production of some volatile terpenoids. Further, treatment with JA and Spm together resulted in greater volatile emission than that with JA alone. In a Y-tube olfactometer, leaves treated with Spm + JA attracted more predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis) than those treated with JA alone. After treatment with Spm + JA, no effects were found on the enzyme activity of polyamine oxidase and copper amine oxidase. However, induction of calcium influx and ROS production, and increased enzyme activities and gene expression for NADPH oxidase complex, superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase were found after treatment with Spm + JA. These results indicate that Spm plays an important role in the production of T. urticae-induced lima bean leaf volatiles.

  15. Polyamines are not required for aerobic growth of Escherichia coli: preparation of a strain with deletions in all of the genes for polyamine biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Chattopadhyay, Manas K; Tabor, Celia White; Tabor, Herbert

    2009-09-01

    A strain of Escherichia coli was constructed in which all of the genes involved in polyamine biosynthesis--speA (arginine decarboxylase), speB (agmatine ureohydrolase), speC (ornithine decarboxylase), spe D (adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), speE (spermidine synthase), speF (inducible ornithine decarboxylase), cadA (lysine decarboxylase), and ldcC (lysine decarboxylase)--had been deleted. Despite the complete absence of all of the polyamines, the strain grew indefinitely in air in amine-free medium, albeit at a slightly (ca. 40 to 50%) reduced growth rate. Even though this strain grew well in the absence of the amines in air, it was still sensitive to oxygen stress in the absence of added spermidine. In contrast to the ability to grow in air in the absence of polyamines, this strain, surprisingly, showed a requirement for polyamines for growth under strictly anaerobic conditions.

  16. Content of phenolic compounds and free polyamines in black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) after application of polyamine biosynthesis regulators.

    PubMed

    Hudec, Jozef; Bakos, Dusan; Mravec, Dusan; Kobida, L'ubomír; Burdová, Maria; Turianica, Ivan; Hlusek, Jaroslav

    2006-05-17

    The total contents of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolics in 60 samples of black chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa), after treating with catabolites of polyamine biosynthesis (KPAb) and ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, were analyzed spectrophotometrically, and quercetin and free polyamine contents were analyzed by RP-HPLC with UV detection. The average total contents of the individual substances and phenolic subgroups in control berries were as follows (mg x kg(-1)): anthocyanines, 6408; flavonoids, 664; phenolics, 37,600; quercetin, 349. KPAb decreased total contents of anthocyanines and phenolics only slightly but significantly increased the content of flavonoids. This caused an important change in the abundance of flavonoids in the pigment complex. The absolute content of quercetin was increased, but its ratio to flavonoids content was decreased. Ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor had a markedly different effect as it significantly increased total content of anthocyanins and total phenolics, inhibited the total content of free polyamines, and stimulated the processes of saccharides transformation to phenolic pigments.

  17. A plant spermine oxidase/dehydrogenase regulated by the proteasome and polyamines.

    PubMed

    Ahou, Abdellah; Martignago, Damiano; Alabdallah, Osama; Tavazza, Raffaela; Stano, Pasquale; Macone, Alberto; Pivato, Micaela; Masi, Antonio; Rambla, Jose L; Vera-Sirera, Francisco; Angelini, Riccardo; Federico, Rodolfo; Tavladoraki, Paraskevi

    2014-04-01

    Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) are flavin-dependent enzymes involved in polyamine catabolism. In Arabidopsis five PAO genes (AtPAO1-AtPAO5) have been identified which present some common characteristics, but also important differences in primary structure, substrate specificity, subcellular localization, and tissue-specific expression pattern, differences which may suggest distinct physiological roles. In the present work, AtPAO5, the only so far uncharacterized AtPAO which is specifically expressed in the vascular system, was partially purified from 35S::AtPAO5-6His Arabidopsis transgenic plants and biochemically characterized. Data presented here allow AtPAO5 to be classified as a spermine dehydrogenase. It is also shown that AtPAO5 oxidizes the polyamines spermine, thermospermine, and N(1)-acetylspermine, the latter being the best in vitro substrate of the recombinant enzyme. AtPAO5 also oxidizes these polyamines in vivo, as was evidenced by analysis of polyamine levels in the 35S::AtPAO5-6His Arabidopsis transgenic plants, as well as in a loss-of-function atpao5 mutant. Furthermore, subcellular localization studies indicate that AtPAO5 is a cytosolic protein undergoing proteasomal control. Positive regulation of AtPAO5 expression by polyamines at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level is also shown. These data provide new insights into the catalytic properties of the PAO gene family and the complex regulatory network controlling polyamine metabolism.

  18. Potential Prebiotic Oligosaccharide Mixtures from Acidic Hydrolysis of Rice Bran and Cassava Pulp.

    PubMed

    Hansawasdi, Chanida; Kurdi, Peter

    2017-12-01

    Two agricultural wastes, rice bran and cassava pulp were subjected to acidic hydrolysis by 2 M sulfuric acid which resulted in hemicellulosic oligosaccharide mixtures. Monosaccharide component analysis of these mixtures revealed that the oligosaccharides of rice bran acid hydrolysate (RAHF) composed of glucose and arabinose while cassava pulp acid hydrolysate (CAHF) was found to be comprised of glucose, galactose and arabinose. Both RAHF and CAHF were able to fuel all of the tested three Lactobacillus, five Bifidobacterium and three Bacteroides strains indicating the prebiotic potential of these oligosaccharide mixtures. Moreover, Lb. gasseri grew significantly better on RAHF than on inulin, a benchmark prebiotic oligo- and polysaccharide mixture. When the digestibility of RAHF and CAHF were tested it was found that these oligosaccharide mixtures were only slightly hydrolyzed upon exposure to simulated human gastric (by less than 8%) and pancreatic juices (by less than 3%). Additionally, most sensory attributes of the above obtained oligosaccharide mixtures supplemented two model cereal drink formulations were generally not different from those of the control, while the overall acceptance was not affected significantly in one cereal drink formulation.

  19. Polyamines and abiotic stress in plants: a complex relationship1

    PubMed Central

    Minocha, Rakesh; Majumdar, Rajtilak; Minocha, Subhash C.

    2014-01-01

    The physiological relationship between abiotic stress in plants and polyamines was reported more than 40 years ago. Ever since there has been a debate as to whether increased polyamines protect plants against abiotic stress (e.g., due to their ability to deal with oxidative radicals) or cause damage to them (perhaps due to hydrogen peroxide produced by their catabolism). The observation that cellular polyamines are typically elevated in plants under both short-term as well as long-term abiotic stress conditions is consistent with the possibility of their dual effects, i.e., being protectors from as well as perpetrators of stress damage to the cells. The observed increase in tolerance of plants to abiotic stress when their cellular contents are elevated by either exogenous treatment with polyamines or through genetic engineering with genes encoding polyamine biosynthetic enzymes is indicative of a protective role for them. However, through their catabolic production of hydrogen peroxide and acrolein, both strong oxidizers, they can potentially be the cause of cellular harm during stress. In fact, somewhat enigmatic but strong positive relationship between abiotic stress and foliar polyamines has been proposed as a potential biochemical marker of persistent environmental stress in forest trees in which phenotypic symptoms of stress are not yet visible. Such markers may help forewarn forest managers to undertake amelioration strategies before the appearance of visual symptoms of stress and damage at which stage it is often too late for implementing strategies for stress remediation and reversal of damage. This review provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the published literature on interactions between abiotic stress and polyamines in plants, and examines the experimental strategies used to understand the functional significance of this relationship with the aim of improving plant productivity, especially under conditions of abiotic stress. PMID:24847338

  20. Polyamine-Blocking Therapy Reverses Immunosuppression in the Tumor Microenvironment

    PubMed Central

    Hayes, Candace S.; Shicora, Allyson C.; Keough, Martin P.; Snook, Adam E.; Burns, Mark R.; Gilmour, Susan K.

    2014-01-01

    Correcting T cell immunosuppression may unleash powerful antitumor responses, however, knowledge about the mechanisms and modifiers that may be targeted to improve therapy remains incomplete. Here we report that polyamine elevation in cancer, a common metabolic aberration in aggressive lesions, contributes significantly to tumor immunosuppression and that a polyamine depletion strategy can exert antitumor effects that may also promote immunity. A polyamine-blocking therapy (PBT) that combines the well-characterized ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitor difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) with AMXT1501, a novel inhibitor of the polyamine transport system, blocked tumor growth in immunocompetent mice but not in athymic nude mice lacking T cells. PBT had little effect on the proliferation of epithelial tumor cells but it increased the number of apoptotic cells. Analysis of CD45+ tumor immune infiltrates revealed that PBT decreased levels of Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid suppressor cells and increased CD3+ T cells. Strikingly, in a model of neoadjuvant therapy, mice administered PBT one week before surgical resection of engrafted mammary tumors exhibited resistance to subsequent tumor re-challenge. Collectively, our results indicate that therapies targeting polyamine metabolism do not act exclusively as anti-proliferative agents, but also act strongly to prevent immune escape by the tumor. PBT may offer a general approach to heighten immune responses in cancer. PMID:24778323

  1. An intercellular polyamine transfer via gap junctions regulates proliferation and response to stress in epithelial cells

    PubMed Central

    Desforges, Bénédicte; Curmi, Patrick A.; Bounedjah, Ouissame; Nakib, Samir; Hamon, Loic; De Bandt, Jean-Pascal; Pastré, David

    2013-01-01

    In the organism, quiescent epithelial cells have the potential to resume cycling as a result of various stimuli, including wound healing or oxidative stress. Because quiescent cells have a low polyamine level, resuming their growth requires an increase of their intracellular polyamine levels via de novo polyamine synthesis or their uptake from plasma. Another alternative, explored here, is an intercellular exchange with polyamine-rich cycling cells via gap junctions. We show that polyamines promote gap junction communication between proliferating cells by promoting dynamical microtubule plus ends at the cell periphery and thus allow polyamine exchange between cells. In this way, cycling cells favor regrowth in adjacent cells deprived of polyamines. In addition, intercellular interactions mediated by polyamines can coordinate the translational response to oxidative stress through the formation of stress granules. Some putative in vivo consequences of polyamine-mediated intercellular interactions are also discussed regarding cancer invasiveness and tissue regeneration. PMID:23515223

  2. Capillary electrochromatographic separation of peptides using a macrocyclic polyamine for molecular recognition.

    PubMed

    Chen, Tse-Hsien; Misra, Tarun Kumar; Liu, Chuen-Ying

    2008-04-01

    A macrocyclic polyamine, 1,5,9,13,17,21,25,29-octaazacyclodotriacontane ([32]ane-N(8)), in the bonded phase was employed as a molecular receptor for CEC separation of oligopeptides. Parameters affecting the performance of the separations were considered. Baseline separation for the mixture of angiotensin I, angiotensin II, [Sar(1), Thr(8)]-angiotensin II, beta-casomorphin bovine, beta-casomorphin human, oxytocin acetate, tocinoic acid, vasopressin, and FMRF amide could be achieved using phosphate buffer (30 mM, pH 7) as the mobile phase. Column efficiency with average theoretical plate numbers of 69 000 plates/m and RSDs of <1% (n = 6) was achieved. [Met(5)]-enkephalin and [Leu(5)]-enkephalin, which have identical pI values and similar masses could be completely separated using acetate buffer (30 mM) with pH gradient (pH 3 inlet side and pH 4 outlet side). The results suggest that the mechanism for the peptide separation was mediated by a combination of electrophoretic migration and chromatographic retention involving anion coordination and anion exchange. After long-term use, the deviation of the EOF of the column after more than 600 injections was still within 6.0% of that for a freshly prepared column.

  3. Hormones, polyamines, and cell wall metabolism during oil palm fruit mesocarp development and ripening.

    PubMed

    Teh, Huey Fang; Neoh, Bee Keat; Wong, Yick Ching; Kwong, Qi Bin; Ooi, Tony Eng Keong; Ng, Theresa Lee Mei; Tiong, Soon Huat; Low, Jaime Yoke Sum; Danial, Asma Dazni; Ersad, Mohd Amiron; Kulaveerasingam, Harikrishna; Appleton, David R

    2014-08-13

    Oil palm is one of the most productive oil-producing crops and can store up to 90% oil in its fruit mesocarp. Oil palm fruit is a sessile drupe consisting of a fleshy mesocarp from which palm oil is extracted. Biochemical changes in the mesocarp cell walls, polyamines, and hormones at different ripening stages of oil palm fruits were studied, and the relationship between the structural and the biochemical metabolism of oil palm fruits during ripening is discussed. Time-course analysis of the changes in expression of polyamines, hormones, and cell-wall-related genes and metabolites provided insights into the complex processes and interactions involved in fruit development. Overall, a strong reduction in auxin-responsive gene expression was observed from 18 to 22 weeks after pollination. High polyamine concentrations coincided with fruit enlargement during lipid accumulation and latter stages of maturation. The trend of abscisic acid (ABA) concentration was concordant with GA₄ but opposite to the GA₃ profile such that as ABA levels increase the resulting elevated ABA/GA₃ ratio clearly coincides with maturation. Polygalacturonase, expansin, and actin gene expressions were also observed to increase during fruit maturation. The identification of the master regulators of these coordinated processes may allow screening for oil palm variants with altered ripening profiles.

  4. Polyamines are essential for virulence in Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum despite evolutionary decay of polyamine biosynthesis genes.

    PubMed

    Schroll, Casper; Christensen, Jens P; Christensen, Henrik; Pors, Susanne E; Thorndahl, Lotte; Jensen, Peter R; Olsen, John E; Jelsbak, Lotte

    2014-05-14

    Serovars of Salmonella enterica exhibit different host-specificities where some have broad host-ranges and others, like S. Gallinarum and S. Typhi, are host-specific for poultry and humans, respectively. With the recent availability of whole genome sequences it has been reported that host-specificity coincides with accumulation of pseudogenes, indicating adaptation of host-restricted serovars to their narrow niches. Polyamines are small cationic amines and in Salmonella they can be synthesized through two alternative pathways directly from l-ornithine to putrescine and from l-arginine via agmatine to putrescine. The first pathway is not active in S. Gallinarum and S. Typhi, and this prompted us to investigate the importance of polyamines for virulence in S. Gallinarum. Bioinformatic analysis of all sequenced genomes of Salmonella revealed that pseudogene formation of the speC gene was exclusive for S. Typhi and S. Gallinarum and happened through independent events. The remaining polyamine biosynthesis pathway was found to be essential for oral infection with S. Gallinarum since single and double mutants in speB and speE, encoding the pathways from agmatine to putrescine and from putrescine to spermidine, were attenuated. In contrast, speB was dispensable after intraperitoneal challenge, suggesting that putrescine was less important for the systemic phase of the disease. In support of this hypothesis, a ΔspeE;ΔpotCD mutant, unable to synthesize and import spermidine, but with retained ability to import and synthesize putrescine, was attenuated after intraperitoneal infection. We therefore conclude that polyamines are essential for virulence of S. Gallinarum. Furthermore, our results point to distinct roles for putrescine and spermidine during systemic infection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Modification of wheat starch with succinic acid/acetic anhydride and azelaic acid/acetic anhydride mixtures I. Thermophysical and pasting properties.

    PubMed

    Subarić, Drago; Ačkar, Durđica; Babić, Jurislav; Sakač, Nikola; Jozinović, Antun

    2014-10-01

    The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of modification with succinic acid/acetic anhydride and azelaic acid/acetic anhydride mixtures on thermophysical and pasting properties of wheat starch. Starch was isolated from two wheat varieties and modified with mixtures of succinic acid and acetic anhydride, and azelaic acid and acetic anhydride in 4, 6 and 8 % (w/w). Thermophysical, pasting properties, swelling power, solubility and amylose content of modified starches were determined. The results showed that modifications with mixtures of afore mentioned dicarboxylic acids with acetic anhydride decreased gelatinisation and pasting temperatures. Gelatinisation enthalpy of Golubica starch increased, while of Srpanjka starch decreased by modifications. Retrogradation after 7 and 14 day-storage at 4 °C decreased after modifications of both starches. Maximum, hot and cold paste viscosity of both starches increased, while stability during shearing at high temperatures decreased. % setback of starches modified with azelaic acid/acetic anhydride mixture decreased. Swelling power and solubility of both starches increased by both modifications.

  6. Discovery of novel polyamine analogs with anti-protozoal activity by computer guided drug repositioning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alberca, Lucas N.; Sbaraglini, María L.; Balcazar, Darío; Fraccaroli, Laura; Carrillo, Carolina; Medeiros, Andrea; Benitez, Diego; Comini, Marcelo; Talevi, Alan

    2016-04-01

    Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi that affects about 6 million people in Latin America. Despite its sanitary importance, there are currently only two drugs available for treatment: benznidazole and nifurtimox, both exhibiting serious adverse effects and limited efficacy in the chronic stage of the disease. Polyamines are ubiquitous to all living organisms where they participate in multiple basic functions such as biosynthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, proliferation and cell differentiation. T. cruzi is auxotroph for polyamines, which are taken up from the extracellular medium by efficient transporters and, to a large extent, incorporated into trypanothione (bis-glutathionylspermidine), the major redox cosubstrate of trypanosomatids. From a 268-compound database containing polyamine analogs with and without inhibitory effect on T. cruzi we have inferred classificatory models that were later applied in a virtual screening campaign to identify anti-trypanosomal compounds among drugs already used for other therapeutic indications (i.e. computer-guided drug repositioning) compiled in the DrugBank and Sweetlead databases. Five of the candidates identified with this strategy were evaluated in cellular models from different pathogenic trypanosomatids ( T. cruzi wt, T. cruzi PAT12, T. brucei and Leishmania infantum), and in vitro models of aminoacid/polyamine transport assays and trypanothione synthetase inhibition assay. Triclabendazole, sertaconazole and paroxetine displayed inhibitory effects on the proliferation of T. cruzi (epimastigotes) and the uptake of putrescine by the parasite. They also interfered with the uptake of others aminoacids and the proliferation of infective T. brucei and L. infantum (promastigotes). Trypanothione synthetase was ruled out as molecular target for the anti-parasitic activity of these compounds.

  7. Transgenic manipulation of the metabolism of polyamines in poplar cells

    Treesearch

    Pratiksha Bhatnagar; Bernadette M. Glasheen; Suneet K. Bains; Stephanie L. Long; Rakesh Minocha; Christian Walter; Subhash C. Minocha

    2001-01-01

    The metabolism of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) has become the target of genetic manipulation because of their significance in plant development and possibly stress tolerance. We studied the polyamine metabolism in non-transgenic (NT) and transgenic cells of poplar (Populus nigra 3 maximowiczii) expressing a...

  8. The Aromatic Head Group of Spider Toxin Polyamines Influences Toxicity to Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Wilson, David; Boyle, Glen M; McIntyre, Lachlan; Nolan, Matthew J; Parsons, Peter G; Smith, Jennifer J; Tribolet, Leon; Loukas, Alex; Liddell, Michael J; Rash, Lachlan D; Daly, Norelle L

    2017-10-27

    Spider venoms constitute incredibly diverse libraries of compounds, many of which are involved in prey capture and defence. Polyamines are often prevalent in the venom and target ionotropic glutamate receptors. Here we show that a novel spider polyamine, PA 366 , containing a hydroxyphenyl-based structure is present in the venom of several species of tarantula, and has selective toxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. By contrast, a polyamine from an Australian funnel-web spider venom, which contains an identical polyamine tail to PA 366 but an indole-based head-group, is only cytotoxic at high concentrations. Our results suggest that the ring structure plays a role in the cytotoxicity and that modification to the polyamine head group might lead to more potent and selective compounds with potential as novel cancer treatments.

  9. The Aromatic Head Group of Spider Toxin Polyamines Influences Toxicity to Cancer Cells

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, David; McIntyre, Lachlan; Smith, Jennifer J.; Tribolet, Leon; Loukas, Alex; Liddell, Michael J.; Daly, Norelle L.

    2017-01-01

    Spider venoms constitute incredibly diverse libraries of compounds, many of which are involved in prey capture and defence. Polyamines are often prevalent in the venom and target ionotropic glutamate receptors. Here we show that a novel spider polyamine, PA366, containing a hydroxyphenyl-based structure is present in the venom of several species of tarantula, and has selective toxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. By contrast, a polyamine from an Australian funnel-web spider venom, which contains an identical polyamine tail to PA366 but an indole-based head-group, is only cytotoxic at high concentrations. Our results suggest that the ring structure plays a role in the cytotoxicity and that modification to the polyamine head group might lead to more potent and selective compounds with potential as novel cancer treatments. PMID:29077051

  10. Polyamine metabolism and osmotic stress. I. Relation to protoplast viability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tiburcio, A. F.; Masdeu, M. A.; Dumortier, F. M.; Galston, A. W.

    1986-01-01

    Cereal leaves subjected to the osmotica routinely used for protoplast isolation show a rapid increase in arginine decarboxylase activity, a massive accumulation of putrescine, and slow conversion of putrescine to the higher polyamines, spermidine and spermine (HE Flores, AW Galston 1984 Plant Physiol 75: 102). Mesophyll protoplasts from these leaves, which have a high putrescine:polyamine ratio, do not undergo sustained division. By contrast, in Nicotiana, Capsicum, Datura, Trigonella, and Vigna, dicot genera that readily regenerate plants from mesophyll protoplasts, the response of leaves to osmotic stress is opposite to that in cereals. Putrescine titer as well as arginine and ornithine decarboxylase activities decline in these osmotically stressed dicot leaves, while spermidine and spermine titers increase. Thus, the putrescine:polyamine ratio in Vigna protoplasts, which divide readily, is 4-fold lower than in oat protoplasts, which divide poorly. We suggest that this differing response of polyamine metabolism to osmotic stress may account in part for the failure of cereal mesophyll protoplasts to develop readily in vitro.

  11. Process monitored spectrophotometric titration coupled with chemometrics for simultaneous determination of mixtures of weak acids.

    PubMed

    Liao, Lifu; Yang, Jing; Yuan, Jintao

    2007-05-15

    A new spectrophotometric titration method coupled with chemometrics for the simultaneous determination of mixtures of weak acids has been developed. In this method, the titrant is a mixture of sodium hydroxide and an acid-base indicator, and the indicator is used to monitor the titration process. In a process of titration, both the added volume of titrant and the solution acidity at each titration point can be obtained simultaneously from an absorption spectrum by least square algorithm, and then the concentration of each component in the mixture can be obtained from the titration curves by principal component regression. The method only needs the information of absorbance spectra to obtain the analytical results, and is free of volumetric measurements. The analyses are independent of titration end point and do not need the accurate values of dissociation constants of the indicator and the acids. The method has been applied to the simultaneous determination of the mixtures of benzoic acid and salicylic acid, and the mixtures of phenol, o-chlorophenol and p-chlorophenol with satisfactory results.

  12. Supplement of a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture for Crohn's disease: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Tsujikawa, Tomoyuki; Kanauchi, Osamu; Andoh, Akira; Saotome, Takao; Sasaki, Masaya; Fujiyama, Yoshihide; Bamba, Tadao

    2003-02-01

    Although the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease remains unclear, dietary fat is thought to exacerbate intestinal inflammation. Chitosan is a water-insoluble dietary fiber, and a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture has been shown in rats to increase fecal fat excretion without affecting protein digestibility. However, it remains unclear whether a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture is safe and effective for patients with Crohn's disease. We designed a pilot trial to investigate the tolerability and amount of fat excretion after the oral administration of a chitosan and ascorbic mixture for inactive Crohn's disease. Eleven outpatients were given seven tablets daily of a chitosan and ascorbic mixture (chitosan was given at 1.05 g/d) for 8 wk. Patients did not interrupt their respective therapies for Crohn's disease. The bowel movements of most patients increased slightly during the study. Nutritional and inflammatory markers in patients did not differ before and after treatment. The chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture significantly increased the fat concentration in the feces during treatment. These results indicated that oral administration of a chitosan and ascorbic acid mixture in patients with Crohn's disease is tolerable and increases fecal fat excretion without affecting disease activity.

  13. Effect of hindlimb suspension and clenbuterol treatment on polyamine levels in skeletal muscle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abukhalaf, Imad K.; von Deutsch, Daniel A.; Wineski, Lawrence E.; Silvestrov, Natalia A.; Abera, Saare A.; Sahlu, Sinafikish W.; Potter, David E.; Thierry-Palmer, M. (Principal Investigator)

    2002-01-01

    Polyamines are unbiquitous, naturally occurring small aliphatic, polycationic, endogenous compounds. They are involved in many cellular processes and may serve as secondary or tertiary messengers to hormonal regulation. The relationship of polyamines and skeletal muscle mass of adductor longus, extensor digitorum longus, and gastrocnemius under unloading (hindlimb suspension) conditions was investigated. Unloading significantly affected skeletal muscle polyamine levels in a fiber-type-specific fashion. Under loading conditions, clenbuterol treatment increased all polyamine levels, whereas under unloading conditions, only the spermidine levels were consistently increased. Unloading attenuated the anabolic effects of clenbuterol in predominately slow-twitch muscles (adductor longus), but had little impact on clenbuterol's action as a countermeasure in fast- twitch muscles such as the extensor digitorum longus. Spermidine appeared to be the primary polyamine involved in skeletal muscle atrophy/hypertrophy. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Comparison of soybean cultivars for enhancement of the polyamine contents in the fermented soybean natto using Bacillus subtilis (natto).

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Kazuya; Horii, Yuichiro; Watanabe, Satoshi; Kubo, Yuji; Koguchi, Kumiko; Hoshi, Yoshihiro; Matsumoto, Ken-Ichi; Soda, Kuniyasu

    2017-03-01

    Polyamines have beneficial properties to prevent aging-associated diseases. Raw soybean has relatively high polyamine contents; and the fermented soybean natto is a good source of polyamines. However, detailed information of diversity of polyamine content in raw soybean is lacking. The objectives of this study were to evaluate differences of polyamines among raw soybeans and select the high polyamine-containing cultivar for natto production. Polyamine contents were measured chromatographically in 16 samples of soybean, which showed high variation among soybeans as follows: 93-861 nmol/g putrescine, 1055-2306 nmol/g spermidine, and 177-578 nmol/g spermine. We then confirmed the high correlations of polyamine contents between raw soybean and natto (r = 0.96, 0.95, and 0.94 for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively). Furthermore, comparison of the polyamine contents among 9 Japanese cultivars showed that 'Nakasen-nari' has the highest polyamine contents, suggesting its suitability for enhancement of polyamine contents of natto.

  15. Amiloride-Sensitive and Amiloride-Insensitive Responses to NaCl + Acid Mixtures in Hamster Chorda Tympani Nerve

    PubMed Central

    Hettinger, Thomas P.; Savoy, Lawrence D.; Frank, Marion E.

    2012-01-01

    Component signaling in taste mixtures containing both beneficial and dangerous chemicals depends on peripheral processing. Unidirectional mixture suppression of chorda tympani (CT) nerve responses to sucrose by quinine and acid is documented for golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). To investigate mixtures of NaCl and acids, we recorded multifiber responses to 50 mM NaCl, 1 and 3 mM citric acid and acetic acid, 250 μM citric acid, 20 mM acetic acid, and all binary combinations of each acid with NaCl (with and without 30 μM amiloride added). By blocking epithelial Na+ channels, amiloride treatment separated amiloride-sensitive NaCl-specific responses from amiloride-insensitive electrolyte-generalist responses, which encompass all of the CT response to the acids as well as responses to NaCl. Like CT sucrose responses, the amiloride-sensitive NaCl responses were suppressed by as much as 50% by citric acid (P = 0.001). The amiloride-insensitive electrolyte-generalist responses to NaCl + acid mixtures approximated the sum of NaCl and acid component responses. Thus, although NaCl-specific responses to NaCl were weakened in NaCl–acid mixtures, electrolyte-generalist responses to acid and NaCl, which tastes KCl-like, were transmitted undiminished in intensity to the central nervous system. The 2 distinct CT pathways are consistent with known rodent behavioral discriminations. PMID:22451526

  16. Ornithine: the overlooked molecule in the regulation of polyamine metabolism

    Treesearch

    Rajtilak Majumdar; Lin Shao; Rakesh Minocha; Stephanie Long; Subhash C. Minocha

    2013-01-01

    We overexpressed a mouse ornithine decarboxylase gene under the control of a constitutive and an estradiol-inducible promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana to increase our understanding of the regulation of polyamine metabolism. Of particular interest was the role of the substrate ornithine not only in the regulation of polyamine biosynthesis, but also in...

  17. PLASMA PROTEIN AND HEMOGLOBIN PRODUCTION : DELETION OF INDIVIDUAL AMINO ACIDS FROM GROWTH MIXTURE OF TEN ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN URINARY NITROGEN.

    PubMed

    Robscheit-Robbins, F S; Miller, L L; Whipple, G H

    1947-02-28

    Given healthy dogs fed abundant iron and protein-free or low protein diets with sustained anemia and hypoproteinemia, we can study the capacity of these animals to produce simultaneously new hemoglobin and plasma protein. Reserve stores of blood protein-building materials are measurably depleted and levels of 6 to 8 gm. per cent for hemoglobin and 4 to 5 gm. per cent for plasma protein can be maintained for weeks or months depending upon the intake of food proteins or amino acid mixtures. These dogs are very susceptible to infection and various poisons. Dogs tire of these diets and loss of appetite terminates many experiments. Under these conditions (double depletion) standard growth mixtures of essential amino acids are tested to show the response in blood protein output and urinary nitrogen balance. As a part of each tabulated experiment one of the essential amino acids is deleted from the complete growth mixture to compare such response with that of the whole mixture. Methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, and tryptophane when singly eliminated from the complete amino acid mixture do effect a sharp rise in urinary nitrogen. This loss of urinary nitrogen is corrected when the individual amino acid is replaced in the mixture. Histidine, lysine, and valine have a moderate influence upon urinary nitrogen balance toward nitrogen conservation. Leucine, isoleucine, and arginine have minimal or no effect upon urinary nitrogen balance when these individual amino acids are deleted from the complete growth mixture of amino acids during 3 to 4 week periods. Tryptophane and to a less extent phenylalanine and threonine when returned to the amino acid mixture are associated with a conspicuous preponderance of plasma protein output over the hemoglobin output (Table 4). Arginine, lysine, and histidine when returned to the amino acid mixture are associated with a large preponderance of hemoglobin output. Various amino acid mixtures under these conditions may give a positive

  18. Polyamines and ethylene interact in rice grains in response to soil drying during grain filling.

    PubMed

    Chen, Tingting; Xu, Yunji; Wang, Jingchao; Wang, Zhiqin; Yang, Jianchang; Zhang, Jianhua

    2013-05-01

    This study tested the hypothesis that the interaction between polyamines and ethylene may mediate the effects of soil drying on grain filling of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Two rice cultivars were pot grown. Three treatments, well-watered, moderate soil drying (MD), and severe soil drying (SD), were imposed from 8 d post-anthesis until maturity. The endosperm cell division rate, grain-filling rate, and grain weight of earlier flowering superior spikelets showed no significant differences among the three treatments. However, those of the later flowering inferior spikelets were significantly increased under MD and significantly reduced under SD when compared with those which were well watered. The two cultivars showed the same tendencies. MD increased the contents of free spermidine (Spd) and free spermine (Spm), the activities of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase and Spd synthase, and expression levels of polyamine synthesis genes, and decreased the ethylene evolution rate, the contents of 1-aminocylopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and hydrogen peroxide, the activities of ACC synthase, ACC oxidase, and polyamine oxidase, and the expression levels of ethylene synthesis genes in inferior spikelets. SD exhibited the opposite effects. Application of Spd, Spm, or an inhibitor of ethylene synthesis to rice panicles significantly reduced ethylene and ACC levels, but significantly increased Spd and Spm contents, grain-filling rate, and grain weight of inferior spikelets. The results were reversed when ACC or an inhibitor of Spd and Spm synthesis was applied. The results suggest that a potential metabolic interaction between polyamines and ethylene biosynthesis responds to soil drying and mediates the grain filling of inferior spikelets in rice.

  19. Thermal Characterization of Lauric-Stearic Acid/Expanded Graphite Eutectic Mixture as Phase Change Materials.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Hua; Zhang, Peng; Meng, Zhaonan; Li, Ming

    2015-04-01

    The eutectic mixture of lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA) is a desirable phase change material (PCM) due to the constant melting temperature and large latent heat. However, its poor thermal conductivity has hampered its broad utilization. In the present study, pure LA, SA and the mixtures with various mass fractions of LA-SA were used as the basic PCMs, and 10 wt% expanded graphite (EG) was added to enhance the thermal conductivities. The phase change behaviors, microstructural analysis, thermal conductivities and thermal stabilities of the mixtures of PCMs were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), transient plane source (TPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The results show that the LA-SA binary mixture of mixture ratio of 76.3 wt%: 23.7 wt% forms an eutectic mixture, which melts at 38.99 °C and has a latent heat of 159.94 J/g. The melted fatty acids are well absorbed by the porous network of EG and they have a good thermal stability. Furthermore, poor thermal conductivities can be well enhanced by the addition of EG.

  20. Histone deacetylase 10 structure and molecular function as a polyamine deacetylase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hai, Yang; Shinsky, Stephen A.; Porter, Nicholas J.; Christianson, David W.

    2017-05-01

    Cationic polyamines such as spermidine and spermine are critical in all forms of life, as they regulate the function of biological macromolecules. Intracellular polyamine metabolism is regulated by reversible acetylation and dysregulated polyamine metabolism is associated with neoplastic diseases such as colon cancer, prostate cancer and neuroblastoma. Here we report that histone deacetylase 10 (HDAC10) is a robust polyamine deacetylase, using recombinant enzymes from Homo sapiens (human) and Danio rerio (zebrafish). The 2.85 Å-resolution crystal structure of zebrafish HDAC10 complexed with a transition-state analogue inhibitor reveals that a glutamate gatekeeper and a sterically constricted active site confer specificity for N8-acetylspermidine hydrolysis and disfavour acetyllysine hydrolysis. Both HDAC10 and spermidine are known to promote cellular survival through autophagy. Accordingly, this work sets a foundation for studying the chemical biology of autophagy through the structure-based design of inhibitors that may also serve as new leads for cancer chemotherapy.

  1. Benzoic Acid and Chlorobenzoic Acids: Thermodynamic Study of the Pure Compounds and Binary Mixtures With Water.

    PubMed

    Reschke, Thomas; Zherikova, Kseniya V; Verevkin, Sergey P; Held, Christoph

    2016-03-01

    Benzoic acid is a model compound for drug substances in pharmaceutical research. Process design requires information about thermodynamic phase behavior of benzoic acid and its mixtures with water and organic solvents. This work addresses phase equilibria that determine stability and solubility. In this work, Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) was used to model the phase behavior of aqueous and organic solutions containing benzoic acid and chlorobenzoic acids. Absolute vapor pressures of benzoic acid and 2-, 3-, and 4-chlorobenzoic acid from literature and from our own measurements were used to determine pure-component PC-SAFT parameters. Two binary interaction parameters between water and/or benzoic acid were used to model vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid equilibria of water and/or benzoic acid between 280 and 413 K. The PC-SAFT parameters and 1 binary interaction parameter were used to model aqueous solubility of the chlorobenzoic acids. Additionally, solubility of benzoic acid in organic solvents was predicted without using binary parameters. All results showed that pure-component parameters for benzoic acid and for the chlorobenzoic acids allowed for satisfying modeling phase equilibria. The modeling approach established in this work is a further step to screen solubility and to predict the whole phase region of mixtures containing pharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Effects of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors on S-adenosylmethionine synthetase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activities in carrot cell cultures

    Treesearch

    S.C. Minocha; R. Minocha; A. Komamine

    1991-01-01

    Changes in the activites of S-adcnosylmethionine (SAM) synthetase (methionine adenosyltransferase, EC 2.5.1.6.) and SAM decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) were studied in carrot (Daucus carota) cell cultures in response to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and several inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis. Activity of SAM synthetase increased...

  3. A Plasma Metabolomic Signature of the Exfoliation Syndrome Involves Amino Acids, Acylcarnitines, and Polyamines.

    PubMed

    Leruez, Stéphanie; Bresson, Thomas; Chao de la Barca, Juan M; Marill, Alexandre; de Saint Martin, Grégoire; Buisset, Adrien; Muller, Jeanne; Tessier, Lydie; Gadras, Cédric; Verny, Christophe; Amati-Bonneau, Patrizia; Lenaers, Guy; Gohier, Philippe; Bonneau, Dominique; Simard, Gilles; Milea, Dan; Procaccio, Vincent; Reynier, Pascal

    2018-02-01

    To determine the plasma metabolomic signature of the exfoliative syndrome (XFS), the most common cause worldwide of secondary open-angle glaucoma. We performed a targeted metabolomic study, using the standardized p180 Biocrates Absolute IDQ p180 kit with a QTRAP 5500 mass spectrometer, to compare the metabolomic profiles of plasma from individuals with XFS (n = 16), and an age- and sex-matched control group with cataract (n = 18). A total of 151 metabolites were detected correctly, 16 of which allowed for construction of an OPLS-DA model with a good predictive capability (Q2cum = 0.51) associated with a low risk of over-fitting (permQ2 = -0.48, CV-ANOVA P-value <0.001). The metabolites contributing the most to the signature were octanoyl-carnitine (C8) and decanoyl-carnitine (C10), the branched-chain amino acids (i.e., isoleucine, leucine, and valine), and tyrosine, all of which were at higher concentrations in the XFS group, whereas spermine and spermidine, together with their precursor acetyl-ornithine, were at lower concentrations than in the control group. We identified a significant metabolomic signature in the plasma of individuals with XFS. Paradoxically, this signature, characterized by lower concentrations of the neuroprotective spermine and spermidine polyamines than in controls, partially overlaps the plasma metabolomic profile associated with insulin resistance, despite the absence of evidence of insulin resistance in XFS.

  4. Physiological effects in bovine lymphocytes of inhibiting polyamine synthesis with ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

    PubMed

    Igarashi, K; Morris, D R

    1984-11-01

    Previous results have suggested that ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) is a more specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis than the widely used methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). The physiological effects on mitogenically activated lymphocytes of polyamine depletion with ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) were examined. In the presence of ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor alpha-difluoromethylornithine, the cellular contents of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine were decreased by 75 to 90, 65 to 80, and 40 to 60%, respectively, compared with control cultures. Inhibition of DNA synthesis in these polyamine-deficient cells was always greater than that of protein synthesis. Upon addition of spermidine to the deficient cells, the cellular spermidine content was restored within 4 hr, but the complete recovery of macromolecular synthesis took 10 to 20 hr. Thymidine kinase and DNA polymerase alpha activities in polyamine-deficient cells were lower than those in normal cells, whereas RNA polymerase II and leucyl transfer RNA synthase activities were nearly equal to those in normal cells. These results and studies with 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis raise the possibility that polyamines may regulate the synthesis of specific proteins. Decreased synthesis of replication proteins in polyamine-deficient cells may be one reason for the reduced synthesis of DNA.

  5. Arabidopsis thaliana polyamine content is modified by the interaction with different Trichoderma species.

    PubMed

    Salazar-Badillo, Fatima Berenice; Sánchez-Rangel, Diana; Becerra-Flora, Alicia; López-Gómez, Miguel; Nieto-Jacobo, Fernanda; Mendoza-Mendoza, Artemio; Jiménez-Bremont, Juan Francisco

    2015-10-01

    Plants are associated with a wide range of microorganisms throughout their life cycle, and some interactions result on plant benefits. Trichoderma species are plant beneficial fungi that enhance plant growth and development, contribute to plant nutrition and induce defense responses. Nevertheless, the molecules involved in these beneficial effects still need to be identify. Polyamines are ubiquitous molecules implicated in plant growth and development, and in the establishment of plant microbe interactions. In this study, we assessed the polyamine profile in Arabidopsis plants during the interaction with Trichoderma virens and Trichoderma atroviride, using a system that allows direct plant-fungal contact or avoids their physical interaction (split system). The plantlets that grew in the split system exhibited higher biomass than the ones in direct contact with Trichoderma species. After 3 days of interaction, a significant decrease in Arabidopsis polyamine levels was observed in both systems (direct contact and split). After 5 days of interaction polyamine levels were increased. The highest levels were observed with T. atroviride (split system), and with T. virens (direct contact). The expression levels of Arabidopsis ADC1 and ADC2 genes during the interaction with the fungi were also assessed. We observed a time dependent regulation of ADC1 and ADC2 genes, which correlates with polyamine levels. Our data show an evident change in polyamine profile during Arabidopsis - Trichoderma interaction, accompanied by evident alterations in plant root architecture. Polyamines could be involved in the changes undergone by plant during the interaction with this beneficial fungus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Odor detection of mixtures of homologous carboxylic acids and coffee aroma compounds by humans.

    PubMed

    Miyazawa, Toshio; Gallagher, Michele; Preti, George; Wise, Paul M

    2009-11-11

    Mixture summation among homologous carboxylic acids, that is, the relationship between detection probabilities for mixtures and detection probabilities for their unmixed components, varies with similarity in carbon-chain length. The current study examined detection of acetic, butyric, hexanoic, and octanoic acids mixed with three other model odorants that differ greatly from the acids in both structure and odor character, namely, 2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-en-1-one, furan-2-ylmethanethiol, and (3-methyl-3-sulfanylbutyl) acetate. Psychometric functions were measured for both single compounds and binary mixtures (2 of 5, forced-choice method). An air dilution olfactometer delivered stimuli, with vapor-phase calibration using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Across the three odorants that differed from the acids, acetic and butyric acid showed approximately additive (or perhaps even supra-additive) summation at low perithreshold concentrations, but subadditive interactions at high perithreshold concentrations. In contrast, the medium-chain acids showed subadditive interactions across a wide range of concentrations. Thus, carbon-chain length appears to influence not only summation with other carboxylic acids but also summation with at least some unrelated compounds.

  7. Effects of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, polyamines, amino acids, and weak bases (amines and ammonia) on development and ribosomal RNA synthesis in Xenopus embryos.

    PubMed

    Shiokawa, Koichiro; Aso, Mai; Kondo, Takeshi; Takai, Jun-Ichi; Yoshida, Junki; Mishina, Takamichi; Fuchimukai, Kota; Ogasawara, Tsukasa; Kariya, Taro; Tashiro, Kosuke; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2010-02-01

    We have been studying control mechanisms of gene expression in early embryogenesis in a South African clawed toad Xenopus laevis, especially during the period of midblastula transition (MBT), or the transition from the phase of active cell division (cleavage stage) to the phase of extensive morphogenesis (post-blastular stages). We first found that ribosomal RNA synthesis is initiated shortly after MBT in Xenopus embryos and those weak bases, such as amines and ammonium ion, selectively inhibit the initiation and subsequent activation of rRNA synthesis. We then found that rapidly labeled heterogeneous mRNA-like RNA is synthesized in embryos at pre-MBT stage. We then performed cloning and expression studies of several genes, such as those for activin receptors, follistatin and aldolases, and then reached the studies of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), a key enzyme in polyamine metabolism. Here, we cloned a Xenopus SAMDC cDNA and performed experiments to overexpress the in vitro-synthesized SAMDC mRNA in Xenopus early embryos, and found that the maternally preset program of apoptosis occurs in cleavage stage embryos, which is executed when embryos reach the stage of MBT. In the present article, we first summarize results on SAMDC and the maternal program of apoptosis, and then describe our studies on small-molecular-weight substances like polyamines, amino acids, and amines in Xenopus embryos. Finally, we summarize our studies on weak bases, especially on ammonium ion, as the specific inhibitor of ribosomal RNA synthesis in Xenopus embryonic cells.

  8. Polyamine Analogues as Novel Anti-HER Family Agents in Human Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-10-01

    NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Elevated levels of all three naturally occurring polyamines, spermine, spermidine and putrescine, have been found in breast...Introduction The polyamines, spermine, spermidine and putrescine, are naturally occurring aliphatic cations that are essential for normal cell growth and

  9. NMR of α-synuclein–polyamine complexes elucidates the mechanism and kinetics of induced aggregation

    PubMed Central

    Fernández, Claudio O; Hoyer, Wolfgang; Zweckstetter, Markus; Jares-Erijman, Elizabeth A; Subramaniam, Vinod; Griesinger, Christian; Jovin, Thomas M

    2004-01-01

    The aggregation of α-synuclein is characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative synucleinopathies. The 140-aa protein is natively unstructured; thus, ligands binding to the monomeric form are of therapeutic interest. Biogenic polyamines promote the aggregation of α-synuclein and may constitute endogenous agents modulating the pathogenesis of PD. We characterized the complexes of natural and synthetic polyamines with α-synuclein by NMR and assigned the binding site to C-terminal residues 109–140. Dissociation constants were derived from chemical shift perturbations. Greater polyamine charge (+2 → +5) correlated with increased affinity and enhancement of fibrillation, for which we propose a simple kinetic mechanism involving a dimeric nucleation center. According to the analysis, polyamines increase the extent of nucleation by ∼104 and the rate of monomer addition ∼40-fold. Significant secondary structure is not induced in monomeric α-synuclein by polyamines at 15°C. Instead, NMR reveals changes in a region (aa 22–93) far removed from the polyamine binding site and presumed to adopt the β-sheet conformation characteristic of fibrillar α-synuclein. We conclude that the C-terminal domain acts as a regulator of α-synuclein aggregation. PMID:15103328

  10. Polyamine oxidase activity in rats treated with mitoguazone: specific and permanent decrease in thymus.

    PubMed

    Ferioli, M E; Armanni, A

    2003-01-01

    To extend the knowledge on the role of polyamine oxidase in thymus physiology, we evaluated the in vivo effect of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway inhibitor mitoguazone. The drug markedly and permanently decreased the enzyme activity in the organ, in which the level of putrescine also decreased at the later times observed. A byproduct of the reaction catalyzed by polyamine oxidase is hydrogen peroxide, a well known inducer of apoptosis. The decrease in polyamine oxidase activity, with the consequent decrease in hydrogen peroxide production, is correlated with a positive effect on thymus physiology. Since mitoguazone has been successfully employed in patients with AIDS-related diseases, in which the reconstitution of the immune function is a favorable prognostic index, we hypothesized that mitoguazone may have the thymus as target organ, and that the decrease in polyamine oxidase activity may have a role in the positive effect of the drug.

  11. Polyamine levels as related to growth, differentiation and senescence in protoplast-derived cultures of Vigna aconitifolia and Avena sativa

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaur Sawhney, R.; Shekhawat, N. S.; Galston, A. W.

    1985-01-01

    We have previously reported that aseptically cultured mesophyll protoplasts of Vigna divide rapidly and regenerate into complete plants, while mesophyll protoplasts of Avena divide only sporadically and senesce rapidly after isolation. We measured polyamine titers in such cultures of Vigna and Avena, to study possible correlations between polyamines and cellular behavior. We also deliberately altered polyamine titer by the use of selective inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis, noting the effects on internal polyamine titer, cell division activity and regenerative events. In Vigna cultures, levels of free and bound putrescine and spermidine increased dramatically as cell division and differentiation progressed. The increase in bound polyamines was largest in embryoid-forming callus tissue while free polyamine titer was highest in root-forming callus. In Avena cultures, the levels of total polyamines decreased as the protoplast senesced. The presence of the inhibitors alpha-difluoromethyl-arginine (specific inhibitor of arginine decarboxylase), alpha-difluoromethylornithine (specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase) and dicyclohexylamine (inhibitor of spermidine synthase) reduced cell division and organogenesis in Vigna cultures. Addition of low concentration of polyamines to such cultures containing inhibitors or removal of inhibitors from the culture medium restored the progress of growth and differentiation with concomitant increase in polyamine levels.

  12. Polyamines control of cation transport across plant membranes: implications for ion homeostasis and abiotic stress signaling.

    PubMed

    Pottosin, Igor; Shabala, Sergey

    2014-01-01

    Polyamines are unique polycationic metabolites, controlling a variety of vital functions in plants, including growth and stress responses. Over the last two decades a bulk of data was accumulated providing explicit evidence that polyamines play an essential role in regulating plant membrane transport. The most straightforward example is a blockage of the two major vacuolar cation channels, namely slow (SV) and fast (FV) activating ones, by the micromolar concentrations of polyamines. This effect is direct and fully reversible, with a potency descending in a sequence Spm(4+) > Spd(3+) > Put(2+). On the contrary, effects of polyamines on the plasma membrane (PM) cation and K(+)-selective channels are hardly dependent on polyamine species, display a relatively low affinity, and are likely to be indirect. Polyamines also affect vacuolar and PM H(+) pumps and Ca(2+) pump of the PM. On the other hand, catabolization of polyamines generates H2O2 and other reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydroxyl radicals. Export of polyamines to the apoplast and their oxidation there by available amine oxidases results in the induction of a novel ion conductance and confers Ca(2+) influx across the PM. This mechanism, initially established for plant responses to pathogen attack (including a hypersensitive response), has been recently shown to mediate plant responses to a variety of abiotic stresses. In this review we summarize the effects of polyamines and their catabolites on cation transport in plants and discuss the implications of these effects for ion homeostasis, signaling, and plant adaptive responses to environment.

  13. Polyamines control of cation transport across plant membranes: implications for ion homeostasis and abiotic stress signaling

    PubMed Central

    Pottosin, Igor; Shabala, Sergey

    2014-01-01

    Polyamines are unique polycationic metabolites, controlling a variety of vital functions in plants, including growth and stress responses. Over the last two decades a bulk of data was accumulated providing explicit evidence that polyamines play an essential role in regulating plant membrane transport. The most straightforward example is a blockage of the two major vacuolar cation channels, namely slow (SV) and fast (FV) activating ones, by the micromolar concentrations of polyamines. This effect is direct and fully reversible, with a potency descending in a sequence Spm4+ > Spd3+ > Put2+. On the contrary, effects of polyamines on the plasma membrane (PM) cation and K+-selective channels are hardly dependent on polyamine species, display a relatively low affinity, and are likely to be indirect. Polyamines also affect vacuolar and PM H+ pumps and Ca2+ pump of the PM. On the other hand, catabolization of polyamines generates H2O2 and other reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydroxyl radicals. Export of polyamines to the apoplast and their oxidation there by available amine oxidases results in the induction of a novel ion conductance and confers Ca2+ influx across the PM. This mechanism, initially established for plant responses to pathogen attack (including a hypersensitive response), has been recently shown to mediate plant responses to a variety of abiotic stresses. In this review we summarize the effects of polyamines and their catabolites on cation transport in plants and discuss the implications of these effects for ion homeostasis, signaling, and plant adaptive responses to environment. PMID:24795739

  14. 40 CFR 721.6440 - Polyamine urea-for-malde-hyde condensate (specific name).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Polyamine urea-for-malde-hyde condensate (specific name). 721.6440 Section 721.6440 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.6440 Polyamine urea-for-malde-hyde condensate...

  15. Identification of Functional Amino Acid Residues Involved in Polyamine and Agmatine Transport by Human Organic Cation Transporter 2

    PubMed Central

    Higashi, Kyohei; Imamura, Masataka; Fudo, Satoshi; Uemura, Takeshi; Saiki, Ryotaro; Hoshino, Tyuji; Toida, Toshihiko; Kashiwagi, Keiko; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2014-01-01

    Polyamine (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and agmatine uptake by the human organic cation transporter 2 (hOCT2) was studied using HEK293 cells transfected with pCMV6-XL4/hOCT2. The Km values for putrescine and spermidine were 7.50 and 6.76 mM, and the Vmax values were 4.71 and 2.34 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Spermine uptake by hOCT2 was not observed at pH 7.4, although it inhibited both putrescine and spermidine uptake. Agmatine was also taken up by hOCT2, with Km value: 3.27 mM and a Vmax value of 3.14 nmol/min/mg protein. Amino acid residues involved in putrescine, agmatine and spermidine uptake by hOCT2 were Asp427, Glu448, Glu456, Asp475, and Glu516. In addition, Glu524 and Glu530 were involved in putrescine and spermidine uptake activity, and Glu528 and Glu540 were weakly involved in putrescine uptake activity. Furthermore, Asp551 was also involved in the recognition of spermidine. These results indicate that the recognition sites for putrescine, agmatine and spermidine on hOCT2 strongly overlap, consistent with the observation that the three amines are transported with similar affinity and velocity. A model of spermidine binding to hOCT2 was constructed based on the functional amino acid residues. PMID:25019617

  16. Identification of functional amino acid residues involved in polyamine and agmatine transport by human organic cation transporter 2.

    PubMed

    Higashi, Kyohei; Imamura, Masataka; Fudo, Satoshi; Uemura, Takeshi; Saiki, Ryotaro; Hoshino, Tyuji; Toida, Toshihiko; Kashiwagi, Keiko; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2014-01-01

    Polyamine (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and agmatine uptake by the human organic cation transporter 2 (hOCT2) was studied using HEK293 cells transfected with pCMV6-XL4/hOCT2. The Km values for putrescine and spermidine were 7.50 and 6.76 mM, and the Vmax values were 4.71 and 2.34 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Spermine uptake by hOCT2 was not observed at pH 7.4, although it inhibited both putrescine and spermidine uptake. Agmatine was also taken up by hOCT2, with Km value: 3.27 mM and a Vmax value of 3.14 nmol/min/mg protein. Amino acid residues involved in putrescine, agmatine and spermidine uptake by hOCT2 were Asp427, Glu448, Glu456, Asp475, and Glu516. In addition, Glu524 and Glu530 were involved in putrescine and spermidine uptake activity, and Glu528 and Glu540 were weakly involved in putrescine uptake activity. Furthermore, Asp551 was also involved in the recognition of spermidine. These results indicate that the recognition sites for putrescine, agmatine and spermidine on hOCT2 strongly overlap, consistent with the observation that the three amines are transported with similar affinity and velocity. A model of spermidine binding to hOCT2 was constructed based on the functional amino acid residues.

  17. Activation of ADP-ribosyltransferase in polyamine-depleted mammalian cells.

    PubMed Central

    Wallace, H M; Gordon, A M; Keir, H M; Pearson, C K

    1984-01-01

    Mammalian fibroblasts were cultured in the presence of alpha-methylornithine and/or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), which inhibit the synthesis of polyamines. This led to a decrease in the cellular content of the polyamines spermine and spermidine by up to 60% when the cells were grown in the presence of both drugs together. The activity of the chromatin-associated enzyme ADP-ribosyltransferase was enhanced 2-3-fold in the drug-treated cells when measured in cells subsequently rendered permeable to exogenous NAD+, the substrate for the transferase. This is a novel and surprising observation, since the transferase is invariably activated by the addition of polyamines to a suitable incubation system such as permeabilized cells, isolated nuclei or the purified enzyme. We found no evidence that the activation was due to the appearance of DNA strand breaks, by using a variety of procedures including both neutral [the 'nucleoid' technique of Cook & Brazell [(1975) J. Cell Sci. 19, 261-279; (1976) J. Cell Sci. 22, 287-302

  18. Two Dimensional Polyamides Prepared From Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids And Amines.

    DOEpatents

    McDonald, William F.; Huang, Zhi Heng; Wright, Stacy C.; Danzig, Morris; Taylor, Andrew C.

    2002-07-17

    A polyamide and a process for preparing the polyamide are disclosed. The process comprises reacting in a reaction mixture a monomer selected from unsaturated carboxylic acids, esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof, and a first amine to form an intermediate reaction product in the reaction mixture, wherein the first amine is selected from RR.sub.1 NH, RNH.sub.2, RR.sub.1 NH.sub.2.sup.+, RNH.sub.3.sup.+ and mixtures thereof, wherein R and R.sub.1 can be the same or different and each contain between about 1 and 50 carbon atoms and are optionally substituted with heteroatoms oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus and combinations thereof, and reacting the intermediate reaction product and a second amine to form a polyamide, wherein the second amine is selected from R.sub.2 R.sub.3 NH, R.sub.2 NH.sub.2, R.sub.2 R.sub.3 NH.sub.2.sup.+, R.sub.2 NH.sub.3.sup.+ and mixtures thereof wherein R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 can be the same or different and each contain between about 1 and 50 carbon atoms and are optionally substituted with heteroatoms oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus and combinations thereof, wherein multiple of the R, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are in vertically aligned spaced relationship along a backbone formed by the polyamide. In one version of the invention, the monomer is selected from maleic anhydride, maleic acid esters, and mixtures thereof. In another version of the invention, the first amine is an alkylamine, such as tetradecylamine, and the second amine is a polyalkylene polyamine, such as pentaethylenehexamine. In yet another version of the invention, the first amine and the second amine are olefinic or acetylenic amines, such as the reaction products of an alkyldiamine and an acetylenic carboxylic acid. The first amine and the second amine may be the same or different depending on the desired polyamide polymer structure.

  19. BET, thermal degradation, and FTIR spectras of triazine polyamine polymers.

    PubMed

    Can, Mustafa

    2017-04-01

    Here we show effect of the polyamine polymer chain length to BET isotherms. According to IUPAC classification [1], all three polymers are fitting type 1 physical adsorption isotherm with H3 hysteresis (except for EDA having H2 hysteresis). Moreover, TG and TGA analysis of polymers triazine-ethylenediamine (EDA) and triazine-triethylenetetramine (TETA) are provided. Due to the similarities of the structure, main decomposition temperatures are close to each other (between 593 K and 873 K). In order to understand change of FTIR spectra with adsorption and stripping Au(III), fresh, Au(III) adsorbed and recycled spectras of polymers measured. For further discussions about the effect of chain length to adsorption of Au(III) onto triazine polyamine polymer particles "Au (III) Uptake by Triazine Polyamine Polymers: Mechanism, Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies" Can et al. [2] (article in press).

  20. Polyamines and inorganic ions extracted from woody tissues by freeze-thawing

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Walter C. Shortle

    1994-01-01

    A simple and fast method for extraction of major inorganic ions (Ca, Mg, Mn, K, and P) and cellular polyamines from small quantities of wood and woody plant tissues is described. The method involves repeated freezing and thawing of samples instead of homogenization or wet ash digestion. The efficiency of extraction of both polyamines and inorganic ions by these methods...

  1. Stabilizing effect of propionic acid derivative of anthraquinone--polyamine conjugate incorporated into α-β chimeric oligonucleotides on the alternate-stranded triple helix.

    PubMed

    Moriguchi, Tomohisa; Azam, A T M Zafrul; Shinozuka, Kazuo

    2011-06-15

    Two types of anthraquinone conjugates were synthesized as non-nucleosidic oligonucleotide components. These include an anthraquinone derivative conjugated with 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid and an anthraquinone--polyamine derivative conjugated with 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid. The conjugates were successfully incorporated into the "linking-region" of the α-β chimeric oligonucleotides via phosphoramidite method as non-nucleosidic backbone units. The resultant novel α-β chimeric oligonucleotides possessed two diastereomers that were generated by the introduction of the anthraquinone conjugate with a stereogenic carbon atom. The isomers were successfully separated by a reversed-phase HPLC. UV-melting experiments revealed that both stereoisomers formed a substantially stable alternate-strand triple helix, irrespective of the stereochemistry of the incorporated non-nucleosidic backbone unit. However, the enhancing effect on thermal stability depended on the length of the alkyl linker connecting anthraquinone moiety and the propionic acid moiety. The sequence discrimination ability of the chimeric oligonucleotides toward mismatch target duplex was also examined. The T(m) values of the triplexes containing the mismatch target were substantially lower than the T(m) values of those containing the full-match target. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔG°) required for the dissociation of the triplexes into the third strand and target duplex were also measured.

  2. Polyamines in plants: biosynthesis from arginine, and metabolic, physiological, and stress-response roles

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Biogenic amines in all organisms including plants affect a myriad of growth and developmental processes. Therefore, there is continued interest in understanding their (here polyamines) biosynthesis and functional roles in regulating plant metabolism, physiology and development. The role of polyamine...

  3. The thermochemical characteristics of solution of phenol and benzoic acid in water-dimethylsulfoxide and water-acetonitrile mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakharov, A. G.; Voronova, M. I.; Batov, D. V.; Smirnova, K. V.

    2011-03-01

    The solution of phenol and benzoic acid in water-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and water-acetonitrile (AN) mixtures was studied. As distinct from benzoic acid, the thermodynamic characteristics of solution of phenol sharply change at concentrations corresponding to a change in the character of cluster formation in water-DMSO and water-AN mixtures. Differences in the solvation of phenol and benzoic acid are explained by different mechanisms of the interaction of the solutes with clusters existing in binary mixtures.

  4. AMELIORATION OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE USING REACTIVE MIXTURES IN PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The generation and release of acidic drainage from mine wastes is an environmental problem of international scale. The use of zero-valent iron and/or iron mixtures in subsurface Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRB) presents a possible passive alternative for remediating acidic grou...

  5. Design and multi-step synthesis of chalcone-polyamine conjugates as potent antiproliferative agents.

    PubMed

    Rioux, Benjamin; Pouget, Christelle; Fidanzi-Dugas, Chloë; Gamond, Aurélie; Laurent, Aurélie; Semaan, Josiane; Pinon, Aline; Champavier, Yves; Léger, David Y; Liagre, Bertrand; Duroux, Jean-Luc; Fagnère, Catherine; Sol, Vincent

    2017-09-15

    The aim of this study is to synthesize chalcone-polyamine conjugates in order to enhance bioavailability and selectivity of chalcone core towards cancer cells, using polyamine-based vectors. 3-hydroxy-3',4,4',5'-tetramethoxychalcone (1) and 3',4,4',5'-tetramethoxychalcone (2) were selected as parent chalcones since they were found to be efficient anti-proliferative agents on various cancer cells. A series of ten chalcone-polyamine conjugates was obtained by reacting carboxychalcones with different polyamine tails. Chalcones 1 and 2 showed a strong cytotoxic activity against two prostatic cancer (PC-3 and DU-145) and two colorectal cancer (HT-29 and HCT-116) cell lines. Then, chalcone-spermine conjugates 7d and 8d were shown to be the most active of the series and could be considered as promising compounds for colon and prostatic cancer adjuvant therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Solubility of the Proteinogenic α-Amino Acids in Water, Ethanol, and Ethanol–Water Mixtures

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    The addition of organic solvents to α-amino acids in aqueous solution could be an effective method in crystallization. We reviewed the available data on the solubility of α-amino acids in water, water–ethanol mixtures, and ethanol at 298.15 K and 0.1 MPa. The solubility of l-alanine, l-proline, l-arginine, l-cysteine, and l-lysine in water and ethanol mixtures and the solubility of l-alanine, l-proline, l-arginine, l-cysteine, l-lysine, l-asparagine, l-glutamine, l-histidine, and l-leucine in pure ethanol systems were measured and are published here for the first time. The impact on the solubility of amino acids that can convert in solution, l-glutamic acid and l-cysteine, was studied. At lower concentrations, only the ninhydrin method and the ultraperfomance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method yield reliable results. In the case of α-amino acids that convert in solution, only the UPLC method was able to discern between the different α-amino acids and yields reliable results. Our results demonstrate that α-amino acids with similar physical structures have similar changes in solubility in mixed water/ethanol mixtures. The solubility of l-tryptophan increased at moderate ethanol concentrations. PMID:29545650

  7. l-Arginine Uptake by Cationic Amino Acid Transporter Promotes Intra-Macrophage Survival of Leishmania donovani by Enhancing Arginase-Mediated Polyamine Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Mandal, Abhishek; Das, Sushmita; Kumar, Ajay; Roy, Saptarshi; Verma, Sudha; Ghosh, Ayan Kumar; Singh, Ruby; Abhishek, Kumar; Saini, Savita; Sardar, Abul Hasan; Purkait, Bidyut; Kumar, Ashish; Mandal, Chitra; Das, Pradeep

    2017-01-01

    The survival of intracellular protozoan parasite, Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of Indian visceral leishmaniasis (VL), depends on the activation status of macrophages. l-Arginine, a semi-essential amino acid plays a crucial regulatory role for activation of macrophages. However, the role of l-arginine transport in VL still remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that intra-macrophage survival of L. donovani depends on the availability of extracellular l-arginine. Infection of THP-1-derived macrophage/human monocyte-derived macrophage (hMDM) with Leishmania, resulted in upregulation of l-arginine transport. While investigating the involvement of the transporters, we observed that Leishmania survival was greatly impaired when the transporters were blocked either using inhibitor or siRNA-mediated downregulation. CAT-2 was found to be the main isoform associated with l-arginine transport in L. donovani-infected macrophages. l-arginine availability and its transport regulated the host arginase in Leishmania infection. Arginase and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression were reciprocally regulated when assayed using specific inhibitors and siRNA-mediated downregulation. Interestingly, induction of iNOS expression and nitric oxide production were observed in case of inhibition of arginase in infected macrophages. Furthermore, inhibition of l-arginine transport as well as arginase resulted in decreased polyamine production, limiting parasite survival inside macrophages. l-arginine availability and transport regulated Th1/Th2 cytokine levels in case of Leishmania infection. Upregulation of l-arginine transport, induction of host arginase, and enhanced polyamine production were correlated with increased level of IL-10 and decreased level of IL-12 and TNF-α in L. donovani-infected macrophages. Our findings provide clear evidence for targeting the metabolism of l-arginine and l-arginine-metabolizing enzymes as an important therapeutic and

  8. A Nascent Peptide Signal Responsive to Endogenous Levels of Polyamines Acts to Stimulate Regulatory Frameshifting on Antizyme mRNA.

    PubMed

    Yordanova, Martina M; Wu, Cheng; Andreev, Dmitry E; Sachs, Matthew S; Atkins, John F

    2015-07-17

    The protein antizyme is a negative regulator of cellular polyamine concentrations from yeast to mammals. Synthesis of functional antizyme requires programmed +1 ribosomal frameshifting at the 3' end of the first of two partially overlapping ORFs. The frameshift is the sensor and effector in an autoregulatory circuit. Except for Saccharomyces cerevisiae antizyme mRNA, the frameshift site alone only supports low levels of frameshifting. The high levels usually observed depend on the presence of cis-acting stimulatory elements located 5' and 3' of the frameshift site. Antizyme genes from different evolutionary branches have evolved different stimulatory elements. Prior and new multiple alignments of fungal antizyme mRNA sequences from the Agaricomycetes class of Basidiomycota show a distinct pattern of conservation 5' of the frameshift site consistent with a function at the amino acid level. As shown here when tested in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and mammalian HEK293T cells, the 5' part of this conserved sequence acts at the nascent peptide level to stimulate the frameshifting, without involving stalling detectable by toe-printing. However, the peptide is only part of the signal. The 3' part of the stimulator functions largely independently and acts at least mostly at the nucleotide level. When polyamine levels were varied, the stimulatory effect was seen to be especially responsive in the endogenous polyamine concentration range, and this effect may be more general. A conserved RNA secondary structure 3' of the frameshift site has weaker stimulatory and polyamine sensitizing effects on frameshifting. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  9. Metabolomic studies identify changes in transmethylation and polyamine metabolism in a brain-specific mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex.

    PubMed

    McKenna, James; Kapfhamer, David; Kinchen, Jason M; Wasek, Brandi; Dunworth, Matthew; Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Bottiglieri, Teodoro; Casero, Robert A; Gambello, Michael J

    2018-06-15

    Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant neurodevelopmental disorder and the quintessential disorder of mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) dysregulation. Loss of either causative gene, TSC1 or TSC2, leads to constitutive mTORC1 kinase activation and a pathologically anabolic state of macromolecular biosynthesis. Little is known about the organ-specific metabolic reprogramming that occurs in TSC-affected organs. Using a mouse model of TSC in which Tsc2 is disrupted in radial glial precursors and their neuronal and glial descendants, we performed an unbiased metabolomic analysis of hippocampi to identify Tsc2-dependent metabolic changes. Significant metabolic reprogramming was found in well-established pathways associated with mTORC1 activation, including redox homeostasis, glutamine/tricarboxylic acid cycle, pentose and nucleotide metabolism. Changes in two novel pathways were identified: transmethylation and polyamine metabolism. Changes in transmethylation included reduced methionine, cystathionine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-the major methyl donor), reduced SAM/S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio (cellular methylation potential), and elevated betaine, an alternative methyl donor. These changes were associated with alterations in SAM-dependent methylation pathways and expression of the enzymes methionine adenosyltransferase 2A and cystathionine beta synthase. We also found increased levels of the polyamine putrescine due to increased activity of ornithine decarboxylase, the rate-determining enzyme in polyamine synthesis. Treatment of Tsc2+/- mice with the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor α-difluoromethylornithine, to reduce putrescine synthesis dose-dependently reduced hippocampal astrogliosis. These data establish roles for SAM-dependent methylation reactions and polyamine metabolism in TSC neuropathology. Importantly, both pathways are amenable to nutritional or pharmacologic therapy.

  10. Antineoplastic Efficacy of Novel Polyamine Analogues in Human Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

    Davidson, N.E., and Casero, R.A.. Spermine oxidase SMO(PAOh1), not N1-acetylpolyamine oxidase (PAO) is the primary source of cytotoxic H2O2 in polyamine... spermine oxidase (PAOh1/SMO) mRNA and activity by a polyamine analogue in human breast cancer cell lines. The fourth Era of Hope meeting for the...SMO/PAOh1 Spermine Oxidase DFMO α-difluoromethylornithine BENSpm N1, N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine CHEMSpm N1-(cycloheptylmethyl)-N11-ethyl- 4,8

  11. Polyamine Analogues as Novel Anti-HER Family Agents in Human Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    Distribution Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Elevated levels of all three naturally occurring polyamines, spermine, spermidine ...11 Appendices����������������������������� N/A 4 INTRODUCTION The polyamines, spermine, spermidine and

  12. Modification of wheat starch with succinic acid/acetanhydride and azelaic acid/acetanhydride mixtures. II. Chemical and physical properties.

    PubMed

    Ačkar, Durđica; Subarić, Drago; Babić, Jurislav; Miličević, Borislav; Jozinović, Antun

    2014-08-01

    The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of modification with succinic acid/acetanhydride and azelaic acid/acetanhydride mixtures on chemical and physical properties of wheat starch. Starch was isolated from two wheat varieties and modified with mixtures of succinic acid and acetanhydride and azelaic acid and acetanhydride in 4, 6 and 8% (w/w). Total starch content, resistant starch content, degree of modification, changes in FT-IR spectra, colour, gel texture and freeze-thaw stability were determined. Results showed that resistant starch content increased by both investigated modifications, and degree of modification increased proportionally to amount of reagents used. FT-IR analysis of modified starches showed peak around 1,740 cm(-1), characteristic for carbonyl group of ester. Total colour difference caused by modifications was detectable by trained people. Adhesiveness significantly increased, while freeze-thaw stability decreased by both investigated modifications.

  13. Possible prebiotic significance of polyamines in the condensation, protection, encapsulation, and biological properties of DNA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baeza, I.; Ibanez, M.; Wong, C.; Chavez, P.; Gariglio, P.; Oro, J.

    1991-01-01

    Some properties of DNA condensed with spermidine have been compared with the properties of DNA condensed with Co3+(NH3)6 to determine whether condensation of DNA with these trivalent cations protects DNA against the action of DNase I and increases transcription and encapsulation of DNA into liposomes. It was shown that DNA condensed with Co3+(NH3)6 was resistant to the action of the endonuclease DNase I such as DNA condensed with spermidine was. However, DNA condensed with Co3+(NH3)6 was significantly less active in transcription with the E. coli RNA polymerase than DNA-spermidine condensed forms. In addition, it was demonstrated that both compacted forms of DNA were more efficiently encapsulated into neutral liposomes; however, negatively, charged liposomes were scarcely formed in the presence of DNA condensed with Co3+(NH3)6. These experiments and the well documented properties of polyamines increasing the resistance to radiations and hydrolysis of nucleic acids, as well as their biological activities, such as replication, transcription, and translation, together with the low concentration of Co3+ in the environment, lead us to propose spermidine as a plausible prebiotic DNA condensing agent rather than Co3+ and the basic proteins proposed by other authors. Then, we consider the possible role and relevance of the polyamine-nucleic acids complexes in the evolution of life.

  14. Polyamine regulation of ornithine decarboxylase and its antizyme in intestinal epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Q; Ray, R M; Viar, M J; Johnson, L R

    2001-01-01

    Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is feedback regulated by polyamines. ODC antizyme mediates this process by forming a complex with ODC and enhancing its degradation. It has been reported that polyamines induce ODC antizyme and inhibit ODC activity. Since exogenous polyamines can be converted to each other after they are taken up into cells, we used an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, diethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (DEGBG), to block the synthesis of spermidine and spermine from putrescine and investigated the specific roles of individual polyamines in the regulation of ODC in intestinal epithelial crypt (IEC-6) cells. We found that putrescine, spermidine, and spermine inhibited ODC activity stimulated by serum to 85, 46, and 0% of control, respectively, in the presence of DEGBG. ODC activity increased in DEGBG-treated cells, despite high intracellular putrescine levels. Although exogenous spermidine and spermine reduced ODC activity of DEGBG-treated cells close to control levels, spermine was more effective than spermidine. Exogenous putrescine was much less effective in inducing antizyme than spermidine or spermine. High putrescine levels in DEGBG-treated cells did not induce ODC antizyme when intracellular spermidine and spermine levels were low. The decay of ODC activity and reduction of ODC protein levels were not accompanied by induction of antizyme in the presence of DEGBG. Our results indicate that spermine is the most, and putrescine the least, effective polyamine in regulating ODC activity, and upregulation of antizyme is not required for the degradation of ODC protein.

  15. Polyamines and Flower Development in the Male Sterile Stamenless-2 Mutant of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) 1

    PubMed Central

    Rastogi, Rajeev; Sawhney, Vipen K.

    1990-01-01

    The floral organs of the male sterile stamenless-2 (sl-2/sl-2) mutant of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) contain significantly higher level of polyamines than those of the normal (R Rastogi, VK Sawhney [1990] Plant Physiol 93: 439-445). The effects of putrescine, spermidine and spermine, and three different inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis on the in vitro development of floral buds of the normal and sl-2/sl-2 mutant were studied. The polyamines were inhibitory to the in vitro growth and development of both the normal and mutant floral buds and they induced abnormal stamen development in normal flowers. The inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis also inhibited the growth and development of floral organs of the two genotypes, but the normal flowers showed greater sensitivity than the mutant. The inhibitors also promoted the formation of normal-looking pollen in stamens of some mutant flowers. The effect of the inhibitors on polyamine levels was not determined. The polyamine-induced abnormal stamen development in the normal, and the inhibitor-induced production of normal-looking pollen in mutant flowers support the suggestion that the elevated polyamine levels contribute to abnormal stamen development in the sl-2/sl-2 mutant of tomato. Images Figure 3 Figure 5 PMID:16667486

  16. Polyamines: naturally occurring small molecule modulators of electrostatic protein-protein interactions.

    PubMed

    Berwanger, Anja; Eyrisch, Susanne; Schuster, Inge; Helms, Volkhard; Bernhardt, Rita

    2010-02-01

    Modulations of protein-protein interactions are a key step in regulating protein function, especially in networks. Modulators of these interactions are supposed to be candidates for the development of novel drugs. Here, we describe the role of the small, polycationic and highly abundant natural polyamines that could efficiently bind to charged spots at protein interfaces as modulators of such protein-protein interactions. Using the mitochondrial cytochrome P45011A1 (CYP11A1) electron transfer system as a model, we have analyzed the capability of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine at physiologically relevant concentrations to affect the protein-protein interactions between adrenodoxin reductase (AdR), adrenodoxin (Adx), and CYP11A1. The actions of polyamines on the individual components, on their association/dissociation, on electron transfer, and on substrate conversion were examined. These studies revealed modulating effects of polyamines on distinct interactions and on the entire system in a complex way. Modulation via changed protein-protein interactions appeared plausible from docking experiments that suggested favourable high-affinity binding sites of polyamines (spermine>spermidine>putrescine) at the AdR-Adx interface. Our findings imply for the first time that small endogenous compounds are capable of interfering with distinct components of transient protein complexes and might control protein functions by modulating electrostatic protein-protein interactions.

  17. Nuclear aggregates of polyamines in a radiation-induced DNA damage model.

    PubMed

    Iacomino, Giuseppe; Picariello, Gianluca; Stillitano, Ilaria; D'Agostino, Luciano

    2014-02-01

    Polyamines (PA) are believed to protect DNA minimizing the effect of radiation damage either by inducing DNA compaction and aggregation or acting as scavengers of free radicals. Using an in vitro pDNA double strand breakage assay based on gel electrophoretic mobility, we compared the protective capability of PA against γ-radiation with that of compounds generated by the supramolecular self-assembly of nuclear polyamines and phosphates, named Nuclear Aggregates of Polyamines (NAPs). Both unassembled PA and in vitro produced NAPs (ivNAPs) were ineffective in conferring pDNA protection at the sub-mM concentration. Single PA showed an appreciable protective effect only at high (mM) concentrations. However, concentrations of spermine (4+) within a critical range (0.481 mM) induced pDNA precipitation, an event that was not observed with NAPs-pDNA interaction. We conclude that the interaction of individual PA is ineffective to assure DNA protection, simultaneously preserving the flexibility and charge density of the double strand. Furthermore, data obtained by testing polyamine and ivNAPS with the current radiation-induced DNA damage model support the concept that PA-phosphate aggregates are the only forms through which PA interact with DNA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Regulation of polyamine metabolism and biosynthetic gene expression during olive mature-fruit abscission.

    PubMed

    Gil-Amado, Jose A; Gomez-Jimenez, Maria C

    2012-06-01

    Exogenous ethylene and some inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis can induce mature-fruit abscission in olive, which could be associated with decreased nitric oxide production as a signaling molecule. Whether H₂O₂ also plays a signaling role in mature-fruit abscission is unknown. The possible involvement of H₂O₂ and polyamine in ethylene-induced mature-fruit abscission was examined in the abscission zone and adjacent cells of two olive cultivars. Endogenous H₂O₂ showed an increase in the abscission zone during mature-fruit abscission, suggesting that accumulated H₂O₂ may participate in abscission signaling. On the other hand, we followed the expression of two genes involved in the polyamine biosynthesis pathway during mature-fruit abscission and in response to ethylene or inhibitors of ethylene and polyamine. OeSAMDC1 and OeSPDS1 were expressed differentially within and between the abscission zones of the two cultivars. OeSAMDC1 showed slightly lower expression in association with mature-fruit abscission. Furthermore, our data show that exogenous ethylene or inhibitors of polyamine encourage the free putrescine pool and decrease the soluble-conjugated spermidine, spermine, homospermidine, and cadaverine in the olive abscission zone, while ethylene inhibition by CoCl₂ increases these soluble conjugates, but does not affect free putrescine. Although the impact of these treatments on polyamine metabolism depends on the cultivar, the results confirm that the mature-fruit abscission may be accompanied by an inhibition of S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase activity, and the promotion of putrescine synthesis in olive abscission zone, suggesting that endogenous putrescine may play a complementary role to ethylene in the normal course of mature-fruit abscission.

  19. Role of polyamines in somatic embryogenesis

    Treesearch

    S.C. Minocha; R. Minocha

    1995-01-01

    The aliphatic amines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine are present in all living organisms. Since the demonstration of "an essential nutritional function" for putrescine in the bacterium Hemophilus parainfluenzae (Herbst and Snell 1948), polyamines have attracted a great deal of attention from workers in diverse fields of the life...

  20. Degradation of hydroxycinnamic acid mixtures in aqueous sucrose solutions by the Fenton process.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Danny M T; Zhang, Zhanying; Doherty, William O S

    2015-02-11

    The degradation efficiencies and behaviors of caffeic acid (CaA), p-coumaric acid (pCoA), and ferulic acid (FeA) in aqueous sucrose solutions containing the mixture of these hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) were studied by the Fenton oxidation process. Central composite design and multiresponse surface methodology were used to evaluate and optimize the interactive effects of process parameters. Four quadratic polynomial models were developed for the degradation of each individual acid in the mixture and the total HCAs degraded. Sucrose was the most influential parameter that significantly affected the total amount of HCA degraded. Under the conditions studied there was a <0.01% loss of sucrose in all reactions. The optimal values of the process parameters for a 200 mg/L HCA mixture in water (pH 4.73, 25.15 °C) and sucrose solution (13 mass %, pH 5.39, 35.98 °C) were 77% and 57%, respectively. Regression analysis showed goodness of fit between the experimental results and the predicted values. The degradation behavior of CaA differed from those of pCoA and FeA, where further CaA degradation is observed at increasing sucrose and decreasing solution pH. The differences (established using UV/vis and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy) were because, unlike the other acids, CaA formed a complex with Fe(III) or with Fe(III) hydrogen-bonded to sucrose and coprecipitated with lepidocrocite, an iron oxyhydroxide.

  1. ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation of intermolecular structure formation in acetic acid-water mixtures at elevated temperatures and pressures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sengul, Mert Y.; Randall, Clive A.; van Duin, Adri C. T.

    2018-04-01

    The intermolecular structure formation in liquid and supercritical acetic acid-water mixtures was investigated using ReaxFF-based molecular dynamics simulations. The microscopic structures of acetic acid-water mixtures with different acetic acid mole fractions (1.0 ≥ xHAc ≥ 0.2) at ambient and critical conditions were examined. The potential energy surface associated with the dissociation of acetic acid molecules was calculated using a metadynamics procedure to optimize the dissociation energy of ReaxFF potential. At ambient conditions, depending on the acetic acid concentration, either acetic acid clusters or water clusters are dominant in the liquid mixture. When acetic acid is dominant (0.4 ≤ xHAc), cyclic dimers and chain structures between acetic acid molecules are present in the mixture. Both structures disappear at increased water content of the mixture. It was found by simulations that the acetic acid molecules released from these dimer and chain structures tend to stay in a dipole-dipole interaction. These structural changes are in agreement with the experimental results. When switched to critical conditions, the long-range interactions (e.g., second or fourth neighbor) disappear and the water-water and acetic acid-acetic acid structural formations become disordered. The simulated radial distribution function for water-water interactions is in agreement with experimental and computational studies. The first neighbor interactions between acetic acid and water molecules are preserved at relatively lower temperatures of the critical region. As higher temperatures are reached in the critical region, these interactions were observed to weaken. These simulations indicate that ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations are an appropriate tool for studying supercritical water/organic acid mixtures.

  2. Dynamical Approach to Multiequilibria Problems for Mixtures of Acids and Their Conjugated Bases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glaser, Rainer E.; Delarosa, Marco A.; Salau, Ahmed Olasunkanmi; Chicone, Carmen

    2014-01-01

    Mathematical methods are described for the determination of steady-state concentrations of all species in multiequilibria systems consisting of several acids and their conjugated bases in aqueous solutions. The main example consists of a mixture of a diprotic acid H[subscript 2]A, a monoprotic acid HB, and their conjugate bases. The reaction…

  3. Adsorption and release of amino acids mixture onto apatitic calcium phosphates analogous to bone mineral

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Rhilassi, A.; Mourabet, M.; El Boujaady, H.; Bennani-Ziatni, M.; Hamri, R. El; Taitai, A.

    2012-10-01

    Study focused on the interaction of adsorbate with poorly crystalline apatitic calcium phosphates analogous to bone mineral. Calcium phosphates prepared in water-ethanol medium at physiological temperature (37 °C) and neutral pH, their Ca/P ratio was between 1.33 and 1.67. Adsorbate used in this paper takes the mixture form of two essential amino acids L-lysine and DL-leucine which have respectively a character hydrophilic and hydrophobic. Adsorption and release are investigated experimentally; they are dependent on the phosphate type and on the nature of adsorbate L-lysine, DL-leucine and their mixture. Adsorption of mixture of amino acids on the apatitic calcium phosphates is influenced by the competition between the two amino acids: L-lysine and DL-leucine which exist in the medium reaction. The adsorption kinetics is very fast while the release kinetics is slow. The chemical composition of apatite has an influence on both adsorption and release. The interactions adsorbate-adsorbent are electrostatic type. Adsorption and release reactions of the amino acid mixture are explained by the existence of the hydrated surface layer of calcium phosphate apatite. The charged sbnd COOsbnd and sbnd NH3+ of adsorbates are the strongest groups that interact with the surface of apatites, the adsorption is mainly due to the electrostatic interaction between the groups sbnd COOsbnd of amino acids and calcium Ca2+ ions of the apatite. Comparative study of interactions between adsorbates (L-lysine, DL-leucine and their mixture) and apatitic calcium phosphates is carried out in vitro by using UV-vis and infrared spectroscopy IR techniques.

  4. Thermally induced processes in mixtures of aluminum with organic acids after plastic deformations under high pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhorin, V. A.; Kiselev, M. R.; Roldugin, V. I.

    2017-11-01

    DSC is used to measure the thermal effects of processes in mixtures of solid organic dibasic acids with powdered aluminum, subjected to plastic deformation under pressures in the range of 0.5-4.0 GPa using an anvil-type high-pressure setup. Analysis of thermograms obtained for the samples after plastic deformation suggests a correlation between the exothermal peaks observed around the temperatures of degradation of the acids and the thermally induced chemical reactions between products of acid degradation and freshly formed surfaces of aluminum particles. The release of heat in the mixtures begins at 30-40°C. The thermal effects in the mixtures of different acids change according to the order of acid reactivity in solutions. The extreme baric dependences of enthalpies of thermal effects are associated with the rearrangement of the electron subsystem of aluminum upon plastic deformation at high pressures.

  5. Effects of agmatine on secretion of interferon tau and catecholamines and expression of genes related to production of polyamines by ovine trophectoderm cells.

    PubMed

    Lenis, Yasser Y; Wang, Xiaoqiu; Tang, Wanjin; Wu, Guoyao; Bazer, Fuller W

    2016-10-01

    Embryonic survival requires histotrophic nutrition, including molecules secreted or transported into the uterine lumen by uterine epithelia. L-Arginine (Arg) is a common substrate for synthesis of nitric oxide, ornithine, proline, glutamate, creatinine, urea, polyamines and agmatine. Agmatine (Agm) is a product of arginine decarboxylation and it is a substrate for agmatinase for synthesis of putrescine and other polyamines in the ovine conceptus. Polyamines are essential for conceptus development. Therefore, this study compared effects of Arg and Agm on the behavior of ovine trophectoderm (oTr1) cells cultured in vitro. Arg, but not Agm, increased proliferation and migration of oTr1 cells, but neither Arg nor Agm affected cell adhesion. The total amount of IFNT in culture medium of oTr1 cells was increased by Arg, but Agm increased the IFNT production per oTr1 cell. Arg and Agm plus Arg decreased secretion of dopamine and norepinephrine by oTr1 cells. Agm upregulates expression of mRNAs SLC7A1, agmatinase and OAZ2 while the combination of Arg and Agm decreased expression of mRNAs for ODC1, SLC7A1, OAZ1 and OAZ3 by oTr1 cells. Although Agm does not stimulate proliferation, migration or adhesion of oTr1 cells or their secretion of catecholamines, Agm did increase transcription of SLC7A1, agmatinase and OAZ2 genes which would increase the capacity of oTr1 cells to produce polyamines. Collectively, our findings suggest a role for Arg and Agm in the regulation of transport of basic amino acids (including Arg), polyamine synthesis, and secretion of catecholamines by oTr1 cells.

  6. Adenovirus type 5 induces progression of quiescent rat cells into S phase without polyamine accumulation.

    PubMed Central

    Cheetham, B F; Shaw, D C; Bellett, A J

    1982-01-01

    Adenovirus type 5 induces cellular DNA synthesis and thymidine kinase in quiescent rat cells but does not induce ornithine decarboxylase. We now show that unlike serum, adenovirus type 5 fails to induce S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase or polyamine accumulation. The inhibition by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) of the induction of thymidine kinase by adenovirus type 5 is probably unrelated to its effects on polyamine biosynthesis. Thus, induction of cellular thymidine kinase and DNA replication by adenovirus type 5 is uncoupled from polyamine accumulation. PMID:7177112

  7. A traceable reference for direct comparative assessment of total naphthenic acid concentrations in commercial and acid extractable organic mixtures derived from oil sands process water.

    PubMed

    Brunswick, Pamela; Hewitt, L Mark; Frank, Richard A; Kim, Marcus; van Aggelen, Graham; Shang, Dayue

    2017-02-23

    The advantage of using naphthenic acid (NA) mixtures for the determination of total NA lies in their chemical characteristics and identification of retention times distinct from isobaric interferences. However, the differing homolog profiles and unknown chemical structures of NA mixtures do not allow them to be considered a traceable reference material. The current study provides a new tool for the comparative assessment of different NA mixtures by direct reference to a single, well-defined and traceable compound, decanoic-d 19 acid. The method employed an established liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/QToF) procedure that was applicable both to the classic O2 NA species dominating commercial mixtures and additionally to the O4 species known to be present in acid extractable organics (AEOs) derived from oil sands process water (OSPW). Four different commercial NA mixtures and one OSPW-derived AEOs mixture were comparatively assessed. Results showed significant difference among Merichem Technical, Aldrich, Acros, and Kodak commercial NA mixtures with respect to "equivalent to decanoic-d 19 acid" concentration ratios to nominal. Furthermore, different lot numbers of single commercial NA mixtures were found to be inconsistent with respect to their homolog content by percent response. Differences in the observed homolog content varied significantly, particularly at the lower (n = 9-14) and higher (n = 20-23) carbon number ranges. Results highlighted the problem between using NA mixtures from different sources and different lot numbers but offered a solution to the problem from a concentration perspective. It is anticipated that this tool may be utilized in review of historical data in addition to future studies, such as the study of OSPW derived acid extractable organics (AEOs) and fractions employed during toxicological studies.

  8. Effects of polyamines on the DNA-reactive properties of dimeric mithramycin complexed with cobalt(II): implications for anticancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Hou, Ming-Hon; Lu, Wen-Je; Huang, Chun-Yu; Fan, Ruey-Jane; Yuann, Jeu-Ming P

    2009-06-09

    Few studies have examined the effects of polyamines on the action of DNA-binding anticancer drugs. Here, a Co(II)-mediated dimeric mithramycin (Mith) complex, (Mith)(2)-Co(II), was shown to be resistant to polyamine competition toward the divalent metal ion when compared to the Fe(II)-mediated drug complexes. Surface plasmon resonance experiments demonstrated that polyamines interfered with the binding capacity and association rates of (Mith)(2)-Co(II) binding to DNA duplexes, while the dissociation rates were not affected. Although (Mith)(2)-Co(II) exhibited the highest oxidative activity under physiological conditions (pH 7.3 and 37 degrees C), polyamines (spermine in particular) inhibited the DNA cleavage activity of the (Mith)(2)-Co(II) in a concentration-dependent manner. Depletion of intracellular polyamines by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) enhanced the sensitivity of A549 lung cancer cells to (Mith)(2)-Co(II), most likely due to the decreased intracellular effect of polyamines on the action of (Mith)(2)-Co(II). Our study suggests a novel method for enhancing the anticancer activity of DNA-binding metalloantibiotics through polyamine depletion.

  9. Control of Meloidogyne incognita Using Mixtures of Organic Acids

    PubMed Central

    Seo, Yunhee; Kim, Young Ho

    2014-01-01

    This study sought to control the root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita using benign organo-chemicals. Second-stage juveniles (J2) of RKN were exposed to dilutions (1.0%, 0.5%, 0.2%, and 0.1%) of acetic acid (AA), lactic acid (LA), and their mixtures (MX). The nematode bodies were disrupted severely and moderately by vacuolations in 0.5% of MX and single organic acids, respectively, suggesting toxicity of MX may be higher than AA and LA. The mortality of J2 was 100% at all concentrations of AA and MX and only at 1.0% and 0.5% of LA, which lowered slightly at 0.2% and greatly at 0.1% of LA. This suggests the nematicidal activity of MX may be mostly derived from AA together with supplementary LA toxicity. MX was applied to chili pepper plants inoculated with about 1,000 J2, for which root-knot gall formations and plant growths were examined 4 weeks after inoculation. The root gall formation was completely inhibited by 0.5% MX and standard and double concentrations of fosthiazate; and inhibited 92.9% and 57.1% by 0.2% and 0.1% MX, respectively. Shoot height, shoot weight, and root weight were not significantly (P ≤ 0.05) different among all treatments and the untreated and non-inoculated controls. All of these results suggest that the mixture of the organic acids may have a potential to be developed as an eco-friendly nematode control agent that needs to be supported by the more nematode control experiments in fields. PMID:25506312

  10. The ultrasound-assisted oxidative scission of monoenic fatty acids by ruthenium tetroxide catalysis: influence of the mixture of solvents.

    PubMed

    Rup, Sandrine; Zimmermann, François; Meux, Eric; Schneider, Michel; Sindt, Michele; Oget, Nicolas

    2009-02-01

    Carboxylic acids and diacids were synthesized from monoenic fatty acids by using RuO4 catalysis, under ultrasonic irradiation, in various mixtures of solvents. Ultrasound associated with Aliquat 336 have promoted in water, the quantitative oxidative cleavage of the CH=CH bond of oleic acid. A design of experiment (DOE) shows that the optimal mixture of solvents (H2O/MeCN, ratio 1/1, 2.2% RuCl3/4.1 eq. NaIO4) gives 81% azelaic acid and 97% pelargonic acid. With the binary heterogeneous mixture H2O/AcOEt, the oxidation of the oleic acid leads to a third product, the alpha-dione 9,10-dioxostearic acid.

  11. Correlating the cold flow and melting properties of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) mixtures

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) mixtures derived from plant oils or animal fats are used to make biodiesel, lubricants, surfactants, plasticizers, ink solvents, paint strippers and other products. Processing requires a precise knowledge of the physico-chemical properties of mixtures with diverse and ...

  12. Cellular and Animal Model Studies on the Growth Inhibitory Effects of Polyamine Analogues on Breast Cancer.

    PubMed

    Thomas, T J; Thomas, Thresia

    2018-03-13

    Polyamine levels are elevated in breast tumors compared to those of adjacent normal tissues. The female sex hormone, estrogen is implicated in the origin and progression of breast cancer. Estrogens stimulate and antiestrogens suppress the expression of polyamine biosynthetic enzyme, ornithine decarboxylate (ODC). Using several bis(ethyl)spermine analogues, we found that these analogues inhibited the proliferation of estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells in culture. There was structure-activity relationship in the efficacy of these compounds in suppressing cell growth. The activity of ODC was inhibited by these compounds, whereas the activity of the catabolizing enzyme, spermidine/spermine N ¹-acetyl transferase (SSAT) was increased by 6-fold by bis(ethyl)norspermine in MCF-7 cells. In a transgenic mouse model of breast cancer, bis(ethyl)norspermine reduced the formation and growth of spontaneous mammary tumor. Recent studies indicate that induction of polyamine catabolic enzymes SSAT and spermine oxidase (SMO) play key roles in the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of polyamine analogues and their combinations with chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel. Thus, polyamine catabolic enzymes might be important therapeutic targets and markers of sensitivity in utilizing polyamine analogues in combination with other therapeutic agents.

  13. Cellular and Animal Model Studies on the Growth Inhibitory Effects of Polyamine Analogues on Breast Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Thomas, Thresia

    2018-01-01

    Polyamine levels are elevated in breast tumors compared to those of adjacent normal tissues. The female sex hormone, estrogen is implicated in the origin and progression of breast cancer. Estrogens stimulate and antiestrogens suppress the expression of polyamine biosynthetic enzyme, ornithine decarboxylate (ODC). Using several bis(ethyl)spermine analogues, we found that these analogues inhibited the proliferation of estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cells in culture. There was structure-activity relationship in the efficacy of these compounds in suppressing cell growth. The activity of ODC was inhibited by these compounds, whereas the activity of the catabolizing enzyme, spermidine/spermine N1-acetyl transferase (SSAT) was increased by 6-fold by bis(ethyl)norspermine in MCF-7 cells. In a transgenic mouse model of breast cancer, bis(ethyl)norspermine reduced the formation and growth of spontaneous mammary tumor. Recent studies indicate that induction of polyamine catabolic enzymes SSAT and spermine oxidase (SMO) play key roles in the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of polyamine analogues and their combinations with chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel. Thus, polyamine catabolic enzymes might be important therapeutic targets and markers of sensitivity in utilizing polyamine analogues in combination with other therapeutic agents. PMID:29533973

  14. [Changes in polyamine levels in Citrus sinensis Osb. cv. Valencia callus during somatic embryogenesis].

    PubMed

    Liu, Hua-Ying; Xiao, Lang-Tao; Lu, Xu-Dong; Hu, Jia-Jin; Wu, Shun; He, Chang-Zheng; Deng, Xiu-Xin

    2005-06-01

    Somatic embryogenetic capability and changes in polyamine level and their relationship were analyzed using the long-term (8 years) subcultured calli of Citrus sinensis Osb. cv. Valencia as materials. The results showed that endogenous polyamine contents in embryogenic calli were higher than those in non-embryogenic calli, and the embryogenetic capability was positively correlated to the levels of endogenous polyamines. When the calli were transferred to a differentiation medium, the putrescine content rapidly increased and reached a peak, then fell gradually. Applying exogenous putrescine raised the embryogenesis frequency and endogenous putrescine level. It indicated that increase in putrescine content at early stage of differentiation promoted embryogenesis. With the development of somatic embryo, spermidine content reached its the highest level at globular embryo stage, spermine content rose and reached a peak at a later stage of globular embryo development. Furthermore, changes of the putrescine, spermidine and spermine contents during somatic embryogenesis were similar in Valencia calli which had different ploidy levels, but their contents decreased following the increasing of ploidy level. Changes in arginine decarboxylase activity were positively correlated to the polyamine levels, which suggest that the later is a key factor in regulating the polyamine levels during somatic embryogenesis in citrus plants.

  15. Prebiotic selection and assembly of proteinogenic amino acids and natural nucleotides from complex mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Islam, Saidul; Bučar, Dejan-Krešimir; Powner, Matthew W.

    2017-06-01

    A central problem for the prebiotic synthesis of biological amino acids and nucleotides is to avoid the concomitant synthesis of undesired or irrelevant by-products. Additionally, multistep pathways require mechanisms that enable the sequential addition of reactants and purification of intermediates that are consistent with reasonable geochemical scenarios. Here, we show that 2-aminothiazole reacts selectively with two- and three-carbon sugars (glycolaldehyde and glyceraldehyde, respectively), which results in their accumulation and purification as stable crystalline aminals. This permits ribonucleotide synthesis, even from complex sugar mixtures. Remarkably, aminal formation also overcomes the thermodynamically favoured isomerization of glyceraldehyde into dihydroxyacetone because only the aminal of glyceraldehyde separates from the equilibrating mixture. Finally, we show that aminal formation provides a novel pathway to amino acids that avoids the synthesis of the non-proteinogenic α,α-disubstituted analogues. The common physicochemical mechanism that controls the proteinogenic amino acid and ribonucleotide assembly from prebiotic mixtures suggests that these essential classes of metabolite had a unified chemical origin.

  16. Polyamines and Hypusination Are Required for Ebolavirus Gene Expression and Replication

    PubMed Central

    Olsen, Michelle E.; Filone, Claire Marie; Rozelle, Dan; Mire, Chad E.; Agans, Krystle N.; Hensley, Lisa

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Ebolavirus (EBOV) is an RNA virus that is known to cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates. EBOV successfully enters and replicates in many cell types. This replication is dependent on the virus successfully coopting a number of cellular factors. Many of these factors are currently unidentified but represent potential targets for antiviral therapeutics. Here we show that cellular polyamines are critical for EBOV replication. We found that small-molecule inhibitors of polyamine synthesis block gene expression driven by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown of the polyamine pathway enzyme spermidine synthase also resulted in reduced EBOV replication. These findings led us to further investigate spermidine, a polyamine that is essential for the hypusination of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). Blocking the hypusination of eIF5A (and thereby inhibiting its function) inhibited both EBOV gene expression and viral replication. The mechanism appears to be due to the importance of hypusinated eIF5A for the accumulation of VP30, an essential component of the viral polymerase. The same reduction in hypusinated eIF5A did not alter the accumulation of other viral polymerase components. This action makes eIF5A function an important gate for proper EBOV polymerase assembly and function through the control of a single virus protein. PMID:27460797

  17. Polyamines and abiotic stress in plants: a complex relationship Frontiers in Plant Science

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Rajtilak Majumdar; Subhash C. Minocha

    2014-01-01

    The physiological relationship between abiotic stress in plants and polyamines was reported more than 40 years ago. Ever since there has been a debate as to whether increased polyamines protect plants against abiotic stress (e.g., due to their ability to deal with oxidative radicals) or cause damage to them (perhaps due to hydrogen peroxide produced by their catabolism...

  18. Accumulation of free polyamines enhances the antioxidant response in fruits of grafted tomato plants under water stress.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Rodríguez, E; Romero, L; Ruiz, J M

    2016-01-15

    Polyamines, small aliphatic polycations, have been suggested to play key roles in a number of biological processes. In this paper, attempts were made to investigate the possibility of improving antioxidant response of tomato fruits in relation with endogenous free polyamines content. We studied the reactive oxygen species and polyamines content, and antioxidant and polyamine-biosynthesis enzyme activities in fruits of ungrafted and grafted tomato plants under moderate water stress. We used a drought-tolerant cultivar (Zarina) and drought-sensitive cultivar (Josefina) to obtain reciprocal graft, selfgraft and ungraft plants. Fruits contained higher endogenous polyamine content during the course of the experiment relative to the control, coupled with higher arginine decarboxylase and spermine synthase activities in Zarina ungrafted and ZarxJos. In these cultivars, tomato fruits showed a lower reactive oxygen species generation and higher catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, suggesting that a higher content in polyamines (especially spermine) exerted a positive effect on antioxidant systems. All of these data suggest that spermine leads to more effective reactive oxygen species scavenging (less tissue damage) in tomato fruits, which may function collectively to enhance dehydration tolerance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Plasticizing Effects of Polyamines in Protein-Based Films

    PubMed Central

    Sabbah, Mohammed; Di Pierro, Prospero; Giosafatto, C. Valeria L.; Esposito, Marilena; Mariniello, Loredana; Regalado-Gonzales, Carlos; Porta, Raffaele

    2017-01-01

    Zeta potential and nanoparticle size were determined on film forming solutions of native and heat-denatured proteins of bitter vetch as a function of pH and of different concentrations of the polyamines spermidine and spermine, both in the absence and presence of the plasticizer glycerol. Our results showed that both polyamines decreased the negative zeta potential of all samples under pH 8.0 as a consequence of their ionic interaction with proteins. At the same time, they enhanced the dimension of nanoparticles under pH 8.0 as a result of macromolecular aggregations. By using native protein solutions, handleable films were obtained only from samples containing either a minimum of 33 mM glycerol or 4 mM spermidine, or both compounds together at lower glycerol concentrations. However, 2 mM spermidine was sufficient to obtain handleable film by using heat-treated samples without glycerol. Conversely, brittle materials were obtained by spermine alone, thus indicating that only spermidine was able to act as an ionic plasticizer. Lastly, both polyamines, mainly spermine, were found able to act as “glycerol-like” plasticizers at concentrations higher than 5 mM under experimental conditions at which their amino groups are undissociated. Our findings open new perspectives in obtaining protein-based films by using aliphatic polycations as components. PMID:28489025

  20. Polyamines in the lateral vestibular nuclei of the squirrel monkey and their potential role in vestibular compensation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henley, C.; Igarashi, M.

    1993-01-01

    Polyamine synthesis increases in response to injurious stimuli including axotomy and denervation. Reduced eye nystagmus and head-deviation have been observed in unilateral labyrinthectomized (UL) guinea pigs treated with an inhibitor of polyamine synthesis, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). We quantified polyamines in the lateral vestibular nuclei (LVN) of control and UL squirrel monkeys during the phase of vestibular compensation (VC) and performed an experiment to determine if DFMO reduces nystagmus previously observed in the guinea pig. Polyamines were detected in the LVN of control and UL squirrel monkeys. Putrescine and spermidine increased in the ipsilateral LVN 3 days after UL with no change in the contralateral LVN. No left-right differences were noted in the 5-day post-UL monkey. DFMO reduced nystagmus in a UL squirrel monkey. These findings suggest that polyamines are important in vestibular function and may contribute to nystagmus observed in VC.

  1. Molecular evolution of the polyamine oxidase gene family in Metazoa

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Polyamine oxidase enzymes catalyze the oxidation of polyamines and acetylpolyamines. Since polyamines are basic regulators of cell growth and proliferation, their homeostasis is crucial for cell life. Members of the polyamine oxidase gene family have been identified in a wide variety of animals, including vertebrates, arthropodes, nematodes, placozoa, as well as in plants and fungi. Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) from yeast can oxidize spermine, N1-acetylspermine, and N1-acetylspermidine, however, in vertebrates two different enzymes, namely spermine oxidase (SMO) and acetylpolyamine oxidase (APAO), specifically catalyze the oxidation of spermine, and N1-acetylspermine/N1-acetylspermidine, respectively. Little is known about the molecular evolutionary history of these enzymes. However, since the yeast PAO is able to catalyze the oxidation of both acetylated and non acetylated polyamines, and in vertebrates these functions are addressed by two specialized polyamine oxidase subfamilies (APAO and SMO), it can be hypothesized an ancestral reference for the former enzyme from which the latter would have been derived. Results We analysed 36 SMO, 26 APAO, and 14 PAO homologue protein sequences from 54 taxa including various vertebrates and invertebrates. The analysis of the full-length sequences and the principal domains of vertebrate and invertebrate PAOs yielded consensus primary protein sequences for vertebrate SMOs and APAOs, and invertebrate PAOs. This analysis, coupled to molecular modeling techniques, also unveiled sequence regions that confer specific structural and functional properties, including substrate specificity, by the different PAO subfamilies. Molecular phylogenetic trees revealed a basal position of all the invertebrates PAO enzymes relative to vertebrate SMOs and APAOs. PAOs from insects constitute a monophyletic clade. Two PAO variants sampled in the amphioxus are basal to the dichotomy between two well supported monophyletic clades including

  2. Molecular evolution of the polyamine oxidase gene family in Metazoa.

    PubMed

    Polticelli, Fabio; Salvi, Daniele; Mariottini, Paolo; Amendola, Roberto; Cervelli, Manuela

    2012-06-20

    Polyamine oxidase enzymes catalyze the oxidation of polyamines and acetylpolyamines. Since polyamines are basic regulators of cell growth and proliferation, their homeostasis is crucial for cell life. Members of the polyamine oxidase gene family have been identified in a wide variety of animals, including vertebrates, arthropodes, nematodes, placozoa, as well as in plants and fungi. Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) from yeast can oxidize spermine, N1-acetylspermine, and N1-acetylspermidine, however, in vertebrates two different enzymes, namely spermine oxidase (SMO) and acetylpolyamine oxidase (APAO), specifically catalyze the oxidation of spermine, and N1-acetylspermine/N1-acetylspermidine, respectively. Little is known about the molecular evolutionary history of these enzymes. However, since the yeast PAO is able to catalyze the oxidation of both acetylated and non acetylated polyamines, and in vertebrates these functions are addressed by two specialized polyamine oxidase subfamilies (APAO and SMO), it can be hypothesized an ancestral reference for the former enzyme from which the latter would have been derived. We analysed 36 SMO, 26 APAO, and 14 PAO homologue protein sequences from 54 taxa including various vertebrates and invertebrates. The analysis of the full-length sequences and the principal domains of vertebrate and invertebrate PAOs yielded consensus primary protein sequences for vertebrate SMOs and APAOs, and invertebrate PAOs. This analysis, coupled to molecular modeling techniques, also unveiled sequence regions that confer specific structural and functional properties, including substrate specificity, by the different PAO subfamilies. Molecular phylogenetic trees revealed a basal position of all the invertebrates PAO enzymes relative to vertebrate SMOs and APAOs. PAOs from insects constitute a monophyletic clade. Two PAO variants sampled in the amphioxus are basal to the dichotomy between two well supported monophyletic clades including, respectively, all

  3. Modeling the preferred shapes of polyamine transporter ligands and dihydromotuporamine-C mimics: shovel versus hoe.

    PubMed

    Breitbeil, Fred; Kaur, Navneet; Delcros, Jean-Guy; Martin, Bénédicte; Abboud, Khalil A; Phanstiel, Otto

    2006-04-20

    Preferred conformers generated from motuporamine and anthracene-polyamine derivatives provided insight into the shapes associated with polyamine transporter (PAT) recognition and potentially dihydromotuporamine C (4a) bioactivity. Molecular modeling revealed that N(1)-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-3,3-triamine (6a), N(1)-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-4,4-triamine (6b), N(1)-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-N(1)-ethyl-3,3-triamine (7a), N(1)-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-N(1)-ethyl-4,4-triamine (7b), and 4a all preferred a hoe motif. This hoe shape was defined by the all-anti polyamine shaft extending above the relatively flat, appended ring system. The hoe geometry was also inferred by the (1)H NMR spectrum of the free amine of 7a (CDCl(3)), which showed a strong shielding effect of the anthracene ring on the chemical shifts associated with the appended polyamine chain. This shielding effect was found to be independent over a broad concentration range of 7a, which also supported an intramolecular phenomenon. The degree of substitution at the N(1)-position seems to be an important determinant of both the molecular shape preferences and biological activity of anthracenylmethyl-polyamine conjugates.

  4. DNA condensation by chiral alpha-methylated polyamine analogues and protection of cellular DNA from oxidative damage.

    PubMed

    Nayvelt, Irina; Hyvönen, Mervi T; Alhonen, Leena; Pandya, Ipsit; Thomas, Thresia; Khomutov, Alex R; Vepsäläinen, Jouko; Patel, Rajesh; Keinänen, Tuomo A; Thomas, T J

    2010-01-11

    Polyamines are essential molecules supporting the structure, conformation, and function of nucleic acids and proteins. We studied stereoisomers of alpha,alpha'-dimethylated spermine [(R,R)-Me(2)Spm, (S,S)-Me(2)Spm, (R,S)-Me(2)Spm] for their ability to provoke DNA condensation and protect DNA from damage. (R,R)- and (R,S)-Me(2)Spm displayed more efficient condensing ability than spermine, with significantly lower EC(50) (concentration for 50% compaction) values (p < or = 0.01). However, spermine exerted slightly more duplex stabilization than Me(2)Spm. Condensation resulted in nanoparticles with hydrodynamic radii between 39.6 and 48.4 nm, and electron microscopy showed the presence of toroids and spheroids. Natural polyamines and stereoisomers of Me(2)Spm protected DNA against DNase digestion and oxidative stress in vitro and against etoposide and oxidative stress in DU145 cells but afforded little protection against UV-C irradiation. Our findings indicate that Me(2)Spm stereoisomers are efficient DNA packaging agents with potential applications in gene delivery. Our study also reveals stereospecificity in DNA interaction and protection against cellular stress.

  5. Polyamine Analogues as Novel Anti-HER Family Agents in Human Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-09-01

    Davidson NE, & Casero RA Jr. Spermine oxidase SMO(PAOh1), not N1-acetylpolyamine oxidase PAO, is the primary source of cytotoxic H2O2 in polyamine...Distribution Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Elevated levels of all three naturally occurring polyamines, spermine , spermidine and...protein in multiple human breast cancer cell lines. This suppression is both time and dose dependent. A relationship between oligoamine structure , growth

  6. Photochemical internalization-mediated nonviral gene transfection: polyamine core-shell nanoparticles as gene carrier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zamora, Genesis; Wang, Frederick; Sun, Chung-Ho; Trinidad, Anthony; Kwon, Young Jik; Cho, Soo Kyung; Berg, Kristian; Madsen, Steen J.; Hirschberg, Henry

    2014-10-01

    The overall objective of the research was to investigate the utility of photochemical internalization (PCI) for the enhanced nonviral transfection of genes into glioma cells. The PCI-mediated introduction of the tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) or the cytosine deaminase (CD) pro-drug activating gene into U87 or U251 glioma cell monolayers and multicell tumor spheroids were evaluated. In the study reported here, polyamine-DNA gene polyplexes were encapsulated in a nanoparticle (NP) with an acid degradable polyketal outer shell. These NP synthetically mimic the roles of viral capsid and envelope, which transport and release the gene, respectively. The effects of PCI-mediated suppressor and suicide genes transfection efficiency employing either "naked" polyplex cores alone or as NP-shelled cores were compared. PCI was performed with the photosensitizer AlPcS2a and λ=670-nm laser irradiance. The results clearly demonstrated that the PCI can enhance the delivery of both the PTEN or CD genes in human glioma cell monolayers and multicell tumor spheroids. The transfection efficiency, as measured by cell survival and inhibition of spheroid growth, was found to be significantly greater at suboptimal light and DNA levels for shelled NPs compared with polyamine-DNA polyplexes alone.

  7. Influence of breast milk polyamines on suckling rat immune system maturation.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; González-Castro, Ana; Castellote, Cristina; Franch, Angels; Castell, Margarida

    2010-02-01

    The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the supplementation of polyamines present in breast milk, i.e. spermine (SPM) and spermidine (SPD), influenced the post-natal maturation of the systemic and intestinal immune system in rats. From birth, pups daily received SPM or SPD. At 5, 11 and 18 days old, small intestine intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) and splenocytes were phenotypically characterized. SPM and, less evidently, SPD accelerated the maturation of CD8+ IEL, and enhanced the presence of intraepithelial NK cells and IEL related with specific immune responses on the proximal and distal small intestine, respectively. Polyamines increased the percentage of more mature CD4+ LPL and enhanced the early presence of splenic B cells and, later, that of NK cells. However, no effect on Ig-secretory function was detected. These results suggest that breast milk polyamines improve the maturation of the rat intestinal and systemic immune system.

  8. Regulation of DNA synthesis and cell division by polyamines in Catharanthus roseus suspension cultures

    Treesearch

    R. Minocha; S.C. Minocha; A. Komamine; W.C. Shortle

    1991-01-01

    Various inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis were used to study the role of polyamines in DNA synthesis and cell division in suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don. Arginine decarboxylase (ADC; EC 4.1.1.19) was the major enzyme responsible for putrescine production. DL α-difluoromethylarginine inhibited ADC activity, cellular...

  9. Interaction of Polyamines, Abscisic Acid, Nitric Oxide, and Hydrogen Peroxide under Chilling Stress in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Seedlings.

    PubMed

    Diao, Qiannan; Song, Yongjun; Shi, Dongmei; Qi, Hongyan

    2017-01-01

    Polyamines (PAs) play a vital role in the responses of higher plants to abiotic stresses. However, only a limited number of studies have examined the interplay between PAs and signal molecules. The aim of this study was to elucidate the cross-talk among PAs, abscisic acid (ABA), nitric oxide (NO), and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) under chilling stress conditions using tomato seedlings [( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. Moneymaker]. The study showed that during chilling stress (4°C; 0, 12, and 24 h), the application of spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) elevated NO and H 2 O 2 levels, enhanced nitrite reductase (NR), nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like, and polyamine oxidase activities, and upregulated LeNR relative expression, but did not influence LeNOS1 expression. In contrast, putrescine (Put) treatment had no obvious impact. During the recovery period (25/15°C, 10 h), the above-mentioned parameters induced by the application of PAs were restored to their control levels. Seedlings pretreated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP, an NO donor) showed elevated Put and Spd levels throughout the treatment period, consistent with increased expression in leaves of genes encoding arginine decarboxylase ( LeADC. LeADC1 ), ornithine decarboxylase ( LeODC ), and Spd synthase ( LeSPDS ) expressions in tomato leaves throughout the treatment period. Under chilling stress, the Put content increased first, followed by a rise in the Spd content. Exogenously applied SNP did not increase the expression of genes encoding S -adenosylmethionine decarboxylase ( LeSAMDC ) and Spm synthase ( LeSPMS ), consistent with the observation that Spm levels remained constant under chilling stress and during the recovery period. In contrast, exogenous Put significantly increased the ABA content and the 9- cis -epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase ( LeNCED1 ) transcript level. Treatment with ABA could alleviate the electrolyte leakage (EL) induced by D-Arg (an inhibitor of Put). Taken together, it is

  10. Interaction of Polyamines, Abscisic Acid, Nitric Oxide, and Hydrogen Peroxide under Chilling Stress in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Seedlings

    PubMed Central

    Diao, Qiannan; Song, Yongjun; Shi, Dongmei; Qi, Hongyan

    2017-01-01

    Polyamines (PAs) play a vital role in the responses of higher plants to abiotic stresses. However, only a limited number of studies have examined the interplay between PAs and signal molecules. The aim of this study was to elucidate the cross-talk among PAs, abscisic acid (ABA), nitric oxide (NO), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) under chilling stress conditions using tomato seedlings [(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. Moneymaker]. The study showed that during chilling stress (4°C; 0, 12, and 24 h), the application of spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) elevated NO and H2O2 levels, enhanced nitrite reductase (NR), nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like, and polyamine oxidase activities, and upregulated LeNR relative expression, but did not influence LeNOS1 expression. In contrast, putrescine (Put) treatment had no obvious impact. During the recovery period (25/15°C, 10 h), the above-mentioned parameters induced by the application of PAs were restored to their control levels. Seedlings pretreated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP, an NO donor) showed elevated Put and Spd levels throughout the treatment period, consistent with increased expression in leaves of genes encoding arginine decarboxylase (LeADC. LeADC1), ornithine decarboxylase (LeODC), and Spd synthase (LeSPDS) expressions in tomato leaves throughout the treatment period. Under chilling stress, the Put content increased first, followed by a rise in the Spd content. Exogenously applied SNP did not increase the expression of genes encoding S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (LeSAMDC) and Spm synthase (LeSPMS), consistent with the observation that Spm levels remained constant under chilling stress and during the recovery period. In contrast, exogenous Put significantly increased the ABA content and the 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (LeNCED1) transcript level. Treatment with ABA could alleviate the electrolyte leakage (EL) induced by D-Arg (an inhibitor of Put). Taken together, it is concluded that, under chilling

  11. AMINO ACID MIXTURES EFFECTIVE PARENTERALLY FOR LONG CONTINUED PLASMA PROTEIN PRODUCTION. CASEIN DIGESTS COMPARED

    PubMed Central

    Madden, S. C.; Woods, R. R.; Shull, F. W.; Whipple, G. H.

    1944-01-01

    When blood plasma proteins are depleted by bleeding with return of red cells suspended in saline (plasmapheresis) it is possible to bring dogs to a steady state of hypoproteinemia and a constant level of plasma protein production if the diet nitrogen intake is controlled and limited. Such dogs are outwardly normal but have a lowered resistance to infection and to certain intoxications. The ten growth essential amino acids of Rose plus glycine will maintain nitrogen balance and produce as much new plasma protein as will good diet proteins. This good utilization is demonstrated over periods of several months when the amino acids are given either orally or parenterally. There is no evidence of toxicity in general nor to unnatural forms of these synthetic amino acids in particular. Given parenterally appropriate mixtures of these amino acids are well tolerated even upon rapid injection. The minimal daily requirements for a 10 kilo dog may be given intravenously in 10 minutes without reaction. Subcutaneously a 10 per cent solution may be given rapidly without reaction. Among various mixtures tested Vt approximates a minimum for a 10 kilo dog. It contains in grams (dl-threonine 0.7, dl-valine 1.5, l-(-) leucine 1.5, dl-isoleucine 1.4, dl-lysine hydrochloride 1.5, l(-) tryptophane 0.4, dl-phenylalanine 1.0, dl-methionine 0.6, l(+)-histidine hydrochloride 0.5, l(+)-arginine hydrochloride 0.5, and glycine 1.0. The presence of glycine improves tolerance to rapid intravenous injection, but excess glycine does not improve utilization of the mixture. Over a long period this mixture appears suboptimal in quantity. Doubled it is more than ample. Of two casein digests tested the one prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis provided good nitrogen retention and fairly good plasma protein production but was much less tolerable upon intravenous injection than certain mixtures of pure amino acids. The other one prepared by acid hydrolysis and tryptophane fortification afforded bare nitrogen

  12. Decarboxylation of fatty acids with triruthenium dodecacarbonyl: Influence of the compound structure and analysis of the product mixtures

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Recently, the decarboxylation of oleic acid (9(Z)-octadecenoic acid) catalyzed by triruthenium dodecacarbonyl, Ru3(CO)12, to give a mixture of heptadecenes with concomitant formation of other hydrocarbons, heptadecane and C17 alkylbenzenes, was reported. The product mixture, consisting of about 77% ...

  13. Comparative proteomic and physiological analyses reveal the protective effect of exogenous polyamines in the bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) response to salt and drought stresses.

    PubMed

    Shi, Haitao; Ye, Tiantian; Chan, Zhulong

    2013-11-01

    Polyamines conferred enhanced abiotic stress tolerance in multiple plant species. However, the effect of polyamines on abiotic stress and physiological change in bermudagrass, the most widely used warm-season turfgrasses, are unknown. In this study, pretreatment of exogenous polyamine conferred increased salt and drought tolerances in bermudagrass. Comparative proteomic analysis was performed to further investigate polyamines mediated responses, and 36 commonly regulated proteins by at least two types of polyamines in bermudagrass were successfully identified, including 12 proteins with increased level, 20 proteins with decreased level and other 4 specifically expressed proteins. Among them, proteins involved in electron transport and energy pathways were largely enriched, and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) and three antioxidant enzymes were extensively regulated by polyamines. Dissection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels indicated that polyamine-derived H2O2 production might play dual roles under abiotic stress conditions. Moreover, accumulation of osmolytes was also observed after application of exogenous polyamines, which is consistent with proteomics results that several proteins involved in carbon fixation pathway were mediated commonly by polyamines pretreatment. Taken together, we proposed that polyamines could activate multiple pathways that enhance bermudagrass adaption to salt and drought stresses. These findings might be applicable for genetically engineering of grasses and crops to improve stress tolerance.

  14. 2,2'-Dithiobis(N-ethyl-spermine-5-carboxamide) is a high affinity, membrane-impermeant antagonist of the mammalian polyamine transport system.

    PubMed

    Huber, M; Pelletier, J G; Torossian, K; Dionne, P; Gamache, I; Charest-Gaudreault, R; Audette, M; Poulin, R

    1996-11-01

    We have synthesized 2,2'-dithiobis(N-ethyl-spermine-5-carboxamide) (DESC), its thiol monomer (MESC), and the mixed MESC-cysteamine disulfide (DEASC) as potential inhibitors of polyamine transport in mammalian cells. DESC was the most potent antagonist of spermine transport in ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells, with Ki values of 5. 0 +/- 0.7, 80 +/- 31, and 16 +/- 3 microM for DESC, MESC, and DEASC, respectively. DESC also strongly blocked putrescine and spermidine uptake in ZR-75-1 cells (Ki = 1.6 +/- 0.5 and 2.7 +/- 1.1 microM, respectively). While DESC and MESC were purely competitive inhibitors of putrescine transport, DEASC was a mixed competitive/noncompetitive antagonist. Remarkably, DESC was virtually impermeant in ZR-75-1 cells despite its low Ki toward polyamine transport. The marked difference in affinity between DESC and MESC was essentially due to the tail-to-tail juxtaposition of two spermine-like structures, suggesting that dimeric ligands of the polyamine transporter might simultaneously interact with more than one binding site. While DESC strongly decreased the initial rate of [3H]spermidine transport, even a 40-fold molar excess of antagonist could not completely abolish intracellular spermidine accumulation. Moreover, as little as 0.3 microM spermidine fully restored growth in ZR-75-1 cells treated with an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis in the presence of 50 microM DESC, thus emphasizing the importance of uptake of trace amounts of exogenous polyamines. Thus, reducing the exogenous supply of polyamines with a potent competitive inhibitor may be kinetically inadequate to block replenishment of the polyamine pool in polyamine-depleted tumor cells that display high transport capacity. These results demonstrate that polyamine analogues cross-linked into a dimeric structure such as DESC interact with high affinity with the mammalian polyamine carrier without being used as substrates. These novel properties provide a framework for the design of

  15. 40 CFR 721.7260 - Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol di-gly-cidyl ether.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.7260 Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol... chemical substance identified generically as polymer of polyethylenepolyamine and alkanediol diglycidyl...

  16. 40 CFR 721.7260 - Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol di-gly-cidyl ether.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.7260 Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol... chemical substance identified generically as polymer of polyethylenepolyamine and alkanediol diglycidyl...

  17. 40 CFR 721.7260 - Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol di-gly-cidyl ether.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.7260 Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol... chemical substance identified generically as polymer of polyethylenepolyamine and alkanediol diglycidyl...

  18. 40 CFR 721.7260 - Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol di-gly-cidyl ether.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.7260 Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol... chemical substance identified generically as polymer of polyethylenepolyamine and alkanediol diglycidyl...

  19. 40 CFR 721.7260 - Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol di-gly-cidyl ether.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and... New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.7260 Polymer of poly-ethylene-polyamine and alkanediol... chemical substance identified generically as polymer of polyethylenepolyamine and alkanediol diglycidyl...

  20. Ethanol-induced impairment of polyamine homeostasis – A potential cause of neural tube defect and intrauterine growth restriction in fetal alcohol syndrome

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Haghighi Poodeh, Saeid, E-mail: saeid.haghighi@oulu.fi; Medical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu; Alhonen, Leena

    Highlights: • Polyamine pools in embryonic and extraembryonic tissues are developmentally regulated. • Alcohol administration perturbs polyamine levels in the tissues with various patterns. • Total absence of polyamines in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc is critical for development. • The deficiency is associated with reduction in endothelial cell sprouting in the head. • Retarded migration of neural crest cells may cause development of neural tube defect. - Abstract: Introduction: Polyamines play a fundamental role during embryogenesis by regulating cell growth and proliferation and by interacting with RNA, DNA and protein. The polyamine pools are regulated by metabolism andmore » uptake from exogenous sources. The use of certain inhibitors of polyamine synthesis causes similar defects to those seen in alcohol exposure e.g. retarded embryo growth and endothelial cell sprouting. Methods: CD-1 mice received two intraperitoneal injections of 3 g/kg ethanol at 4 h intervals 8.75 days post coitum (dpc). The fetal head, trunk, yolk sac and placenta were collected at 9.5 and 12.5 dpc and polyamine concentrations were determined. Results: No measurable quantity of polyamines could be detected in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc, 12 h after ethanol exposure. Putrescine was not detectable in the trunk of the embryo at that time, whereas polyamines in yolk sac and placenta were at control level. Polyamine deficiency was associated with slow cell growth, reduction in endothelial cell sprouting, an altered pattern of blood vessel network formation and consequently retarded migration of neural crest cells and growth restriction. Discussion: Our results indicate that the polyamine pools in embryonic and extraembryonic tissues are developmentally regulated. Alcohol administration, at the critical stage, perturbs polyamine levels with various patterns, depending on the tissue and its developmental stage. The total absence of polyamines in the embryo head at 9.5 dpc may explain

  1. Contribution of polyamines metabolism and GABA shunt to chilling tolerance induced by nitric oxide in cold-stored banana fruit.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yansheng; Luo, Zisheng; Mao, Linchun; Ying, Tiejin

    2016-04-15

    Effect of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on polyamines (PAs) catabolism, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt, proline accumulation and chilling injury of banana fruit under cold storage was investigated. Banana fruit treated with NO sustained lower chilling injury index than the control. Notably elevated nitric oxide synthetase activity and endogenous NO level were observed in NO-treated banana fruit. PAs contents in treated fruit were significantly higher than control fruit, due to the elevated activities of arginine decarboxylase and ornithine decarboxylase. NO treatment increased the activities of diamine oxidase, polyamine oxidase and glutamate decarboxylase, while reduced GABA transaminase activity to lower levels compared with control fruit, which resulted the accumulation of GABA. Besides, NO treatment upregulated proline content and significantly enhanced the ornithine aminotransferase activity. These results indicated that the chilling tolerance induced by NO treatment might be ascribed to the enhanced catabolism of PAs, GABA and proline. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Lower polyamine levels in breast milk of obese mothers compared to mothers with normal body weight.

    PubMed

    Ali, M Atiya; Strandvik, B; Palme-Kilander, C; Yngve, A

    2013-07-01

    Obesity is associated with risks for mother and infant, and the mothers' dietary habits influence breast milk composition. Polyamines are secreted in breast milk and are essential for the regulation of intestinal and immune function in newborns and infants. The present study aimed to investigate the level of polyamines in human milk obtained from obese and normal weight mothers at different times of lactation. Breast milk from 50 mothers was obtained at day 3, and at 1 and 2 months after delivery. The mothers had normal body weight [body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg m(-2) ] or were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2) ). A subgroup of obese mothers participated in a weight reduction programme during pregnancy. Polyamines were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The total polyamine content was significantly lower at all times in breast milk from obese mothers compared to milk from controls. Spermine levels did not differ between groups at any time in contrast to the levels of putrescine and spermidine. Putrescine concentrations were highest on day 3 and spermidine and spermine were highest at 1 month of lactation. The obese mothers, who received dietary advice during pregnancy based on the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, had higher concentrations of putrescine and spermidine in their milk than the obese mothers without any intervention. Polyamine concentrations were lower in breast milk from obese mothers compared to mothers with a normal weight. General dietary intervention in obese mothers increased the polyamine levels, suggesting that the low levels in obesity were at least partly associated with food habits. However, the consistency of spermine suggests a special metabolic function of this polyamine. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  3. Biochemical effects and growth inhibition in MCF-7 cells caused by novel sulphonamido oxa-polyamine derivatives.

    PubMed

    Pavlov, V; Lin, P Kong Thoo; Rodilla, V

    2002-04-01

    The novel polyamine derivatives sulphonamido oxa-spermine (oxa-Spm) and sulphonamido oxa-spermidine (oxa-Spd) exhibited rapid cytotoxic action towards MCF-7 human breast cancer cells with IC50 values of 4.35 and 6.47 pM, respectively, after 24-h drug exposure. Neither compound is a substrate of serum amine oxidase. Both oxa-Spm and oxa-Spd caused cell shrinkage, as determined by phase-contrast microscopy. After incubation with 10 microM of either compound for 8 h, the cells underwent chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation. However, no clear DNA ladder was obtained by electrophoresis. The sulphonamido oxa-polyamine derivatives and especially oxa-Spd enhanced the activity of polyamine oxidase (PAO), an enzyme capable of oxidising N1-acetylated spermine and spermidine to spermidine and putrescine, respectively, generating cytotoxic H2O2 and 3-acetamidopropanal as by-products. The intracellular polyamine content was only marginally reduced in response to drug treatment. In conclusion, our data show that these novel sulphonamido oxa-polyamine derivatives possess high cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells and indicate that induction of PAO may mediate their cytotoxicity via apoptosis.

  4. Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome in housewives due to a bleach-hydrochloric acid mixture.

    PubMed

    Gorguner, Metin; Aslan, Sahin; Inandi, Tacettin; Cakir, Zeynep

    2004-02-01

    The sudden onset of asthmalike symptoms and persistence of airway reactivity following an acute exposure to an irritant gas or vapor has been termed reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS). A mixture of sodium hypochlorite (bleach, 40%) and hydrochloric acid (18%) is commonly used as a household cleaning solution in our region. From this mixture, chlorine gas is produced, which can cause airway damage and ensuing RADS. Here we describe findings of patients with RADS due to this cleaning mixture, and determine factors associated with a favorable outcome. Data were collected retrospectively on 55 symptomatic patients presenting to our emergency department after inhalation exposure to a mixture of bleach and hydrochloric acid. Symptoms, past medical and smoking history, details of the exposure, initial peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and oxygenation, and acute reversibility of airways obstruction were documented. All patients met previously defined criteria for the diagnosis of RADS, but did not undergo methacholine challenge testing and bronchoalveolar lavage or histopathologic study. Fifty patients were followed over the course of 3 mo. The majority of exposures (64%) occurred in the bathroom or kitchen. Only 21 of 55 (38%) patients showed an improvement in PEFR of 15% or greater following two beta(2)-agonist inhalation treatments. In follow-up, 48 patients (87%) improved clinically and functionally (FEV(1)). Seven patients (13%) deteriorated, with ARDS developing in two, one of whom died from respiratory failure. Advanced age, initial low PEFR, exposure in a small enclosed area, use immediately after mixing, and prolonged short- and long-term exposures were associated with a poorer prognosis. This descriptive study is the largest case series in the literature of RADS developing after exposure to a bleach-hydrochloric acid mixture. The optimum acute treatment and long-term outcomes for patients with RADS due to this combination still need to be determined.

  5. Role of polyamines in DNA synthesis of Catharanthus roseus cells grown in suspension culture

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Subhash C. Minocha; Atsushi Komamine; Walter C. Shortle

    1990-01-01

    The requirement for polyamines in the proliferation of cells was first demonstrated in bacteria (3). While significant progress has been made in this field using animal cell cultures, only preliminary studies have been reported with plant tissues. Serafini-Fracassini et al. (9) showed a marked increase in polyamine synthesis early during the G 1 phase, concomitant with...

  6. Glucocorticoids and Polyamine Inhibitors Synergize to Kill Human Leukemic CEM Cells1

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Aaron L; Johnson, Betty H; Medh, Rheem D; Townsend, Courtney M; Thompson, E Brad

    2002-01-01

    Abstract Glucocorticoids are well-known apoptotic agents in certain classes of lymphoid cell malignancies. Reduction of intracellular polyamine levels by use of inhibitors that block polyamine synthesis slows or inhibits growth of many cells in vitro. Several such inhibitors have shown efficacy in clinical trials, though the toxicity of some compounds has limited their usefulness. We have tested the effects of combinations of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex) and two polyamine inhibitors, difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methyl glyoxal bis guanylhydrazone (MGBG), on the clonal line of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells, CEM-C7-14. Dex alone kills these cells, though only after a delay of at least 24 hours. We also evaluated a partially glucocorticoid-resistant c-Myc-expressing CEM-C7-14 clone. We show that Dex downregulates ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis. Pretreatment with the ODC inhibitor DFMO, followed by addition of Dex, enhances steroid-evoked kill slightly. The combination of pretreatment with sublethal concentrations of both DFMO and the inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, MGBG, followed by addition of Dex, results in strong synergistic cell kill. Both the rapidity and extent of cell kill are enhanced compared to the effects of Dex alone. These results suggest that use of such combinations in vivo may result in apoptosis of malignant cells with lower overall toxicity. PMID:11922393

  7. Transport of polyamines in Drosophila S2 cells: kinetics, pharmacology and dependence on the plasma membrane proton gradient

    PubMed Central

    Romero-Calderón, Rafael; Krantz, David E.

    2005-01-01

    Polyamine transport activities have been described in diverse multicellular systems, but their bioenergetic mechanisms and molecular identity remain unclear. In the present paper, we describe a high-affinity spermine/spermidine transport activity expressed in Drosophila S2 cells. Ion-replacement experiments indicate that polyamine uptake across the cell membrane is Na+-, K+-, Cl−- and Ca2+-independent, but pH-sensitive. Additional experiments using ionophores suggest that polyamine uptake may be H+-coupled. Pharmacological experiments show that polyamine uptake in S2 cells is selectively blocked by MGBG {methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) or 1,1′-[(methylethanediylidine)-dinitrilo]diguanidine} and paraquat (N,N-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridylium), two known inhibitors of polyamine uptake in mammalian cells. In addition, inhibitors known to block the Slc22 (solute carrier 22) family of organic anion/cation transporters inhibit spermine uptake in S2 cells. These data and the genetic tools available in Drosophila will facilitate the molecular identification and further characterization of this activity. PMID:16248856

  8. Transport of polyamines in Drosophila S2 cells: kinetics, pharmacology and dependence on the plasma membrane proton gradient.

    PubMed

    Romero-Calderón, Rafael; Krantz, David E

    2006-01-15

    Polyamine transport activities have been described in diverse multicellular systems, but their bioenergetic mechanisms and molecular identity remain unclear. In the present paper, we describe a high-affinity spermine/spermidine transport activity expressed in Drosophila S2 cells. Ion-replacement experiments indicate that polyamine uptake across the cell membrane is Na+-, K+-, Cl-- and Ca2+-independent, but pH-sensitive. Additional experiments using ionophores suggest that polyamine uptake may be H+-coupled. Pharmacological experiments show that polyamine uptake in S2 cells is selectively blocked by MGBG {methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) or 1,1'-[(methylethanediylidine)-dinitrilo]diguanidine} and paraquat (N,N-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridylium), two known inhibitors of polyamine uptake in mammalian cells. In addition, inhibitors known to block the Slc22 (solute carrier 22) family of organic anion/cation transporters inhibit spermine uptake in S2 cells. These data and the genetic tools available in Drosophila will facilitate the molecular identification and further characterization of this activity.

  9. Polyamine metabolism influences antioxidant defense mechanism in foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) cultivars with different salinity tolerance.

    PubMed

    Sudhakar, Chinta; Veeranagamallaiah, Gounipalli; Nareshkumar, Ambekar; Sudhakarbabu, Owku; Sivakumar, M; Pandurangaiah, Merum; Kiranmai, K; Lokesh, U

    2015-01-01

    Polyamines can regulate the expression of antioxidant enzymes and impart plants tolerance to abiotic stresses. A comparative analysis of polyamines, their biosynthetic enzymes at kinetic and at transcriptional level, and their role in regulating the induction of antioxidant defense enzymes under salt stress condition in two foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) cultivars, namely Prasad, a salt-tolerant, and Lepakshi, a salt-sensitive cultivar was conducted. Salt stress resulted in elevation of free polyamines due to increase in the activity of spermidine synthase and S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase enzymes in cultivar Prasad compared to cultivar Lepakshi under different levels of NaCl stress. These enzyme activities were further confirmed at the transcript level via qRT-PCR analysis. The cultivar Prasad showed a greater decrease in diamine oxidase and polyamine oxidase activity, which results in the accumulation of polyamine pools over cultivar Lepakshi. Generation of free radicals, such as O 2 (·-) and H2O2, was also analyzed quantitatively. A significant increase in O 2 (·-) and H2O2 in the cultivar Lepakshi compared with cultivar Prasad was recorded in overall pool sizes. Further, histochemical staining showed lesser accumulation of O 2 (·-) and of H2O2 in the leaves of cultivar Prasad than cultivar Lepakshi. Our results also suggest the ability of polyamine oxidation in regulating the induction of antioxidative defense enzymes, which involve in the elimination of toxic levels of O 2 (·-) and H2O2, such as Mn-superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. The contribution of polyamines in modulating antioxidative defense mechanism in NaCl stress tolerance is discussed.

  10. Effects of polyamines and polyamine biosynthetic inhibitors on mitotic activity of Allium cepa root tips.

    PubMed

    Unal, Meral; Palavan-Unsal, Narcin; Tufekci, M A

    2008-03-01

    The genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of exogenous polyamines (PAs), putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm) and PA biosynthetic inhibitors, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), cyclohexilamine (CHA), methylglioxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) were investigated in the root meristems of Allium cepa L. The reduction of mitotic index and the induction of chromosomal aberrations such as bridges, stickiness, c-mitotic anaphases, micronuclei, endoredupliction by PAs and PA biosynthetic inhibitors were observed and these were used as evidence of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity.

  11. Relation of the antiproliferative action of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) to the natural polyamines.

    PubMed

    Seppänen, P; Alhonen-Hongisto, L; Jänne, J

    1980-09-01

    Enzymic determinations of intracellular concentrations of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone), an anticancer drug which inhibits the synthesis of the polyamines spermidine and spermine, in cultured tumor cells revealed that the drug was remarkably effectively concentrated inside the cell. A concentration gradient across the cell membrane as great as 500--1000-fold was formed in cells exposed to the drug for 1-2 days. An exposure of cultured Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells to increasing concentrations of the drug indicated that the cells could tolerate intracellular concentrations up to 1 mM with only slight changes in their proliferation rate. Micromolar concentrations of spermidine or spermine, but not putrescine, effectively blocked the uptake of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) and reduced the intracellular concentration of the drug below the levels required for growth inhibition. Analysis of cellular polyamine contents in Ehrlich ascites cells exposed to rising concentrations of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) gave little support to the view that the drug-induced growth inhibition was solely produced by an intracellular polyamine deprivation. Not only was the uptake of the drug inhibited in the presence of spermidine and spermine, but it was likewise washed out by polyamines from the cells that had been previously exposed to the drug and then transferred into drug-free medium in the presence of polyamines. For the inhibition of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) uptake by amines, three or more amino/imino groups were apparently required, since low concentrations of aliphatic diamines were either without any effect (short-chain diamines) or only marginally prevented (long-chain diamines) the uptake of the drug. High concentrations of Mg2+ ions, however, markedly inhibited the transport of the drug into Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

  12. Testing for departures from additivity in mixtures of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study is a follow-up to a paper by Carr, et al. that determined a design structure to optimally test for departures from additivity in a fixed ratio mixture of four perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) using an in vitro transiently-transfected COS- 1 PPARa reporter model with an NHA...

  13. Phase I/II clinical trial of 2-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and a novel polyamine transport inhibitor (MQT 1426) for feline oral squamous cell carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Skorupski, Katherine A.; O'Brien, Thomas G.; Guerrero, Teri; Rodriguez, Carlos O.; Burns, Mark R.

    2011-01-01

    Polyamines are essential for cell proliferation. Their production is dysregulated in many cancers and polyamine depletion leads to tumor regression in mouse models of SCC. The purpose of this study was to determine the maximally tolerated dose of the polyamine transport inhibitor, MQT 1426, when combined with the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, DFMO, and to determine whether this therapy results in reduction in tumor polyamine levels. Thirteen cats with oral SCC received both drugs orally and serial tumor biopsies were obtained for polyamine measurement. Cats were monitored for response to therapy and toxicity. A maximum tolerated dose of MQT 1426 when combined with DFMO was determined. Dose limiting toxicity was vestibular in nature, but was fully reversible. Spermidine and total polyamine levels decreased significantly in tissues, 2 cats experienced objective tumor regression, and 6 cats had stable disease. These results suggest that further study of polyamine depletion therapies is warranted. PMID:22077408

  14. The mechanism of opiorphin-induced experimental priapism in rats involves activation of the polyamine synthetic pathway.

    PubMed

    Kanika, Nirmala Devi; Tar, Moses; Tong, Yuehong; Kuppam, Dwaraka Srinivasa Rao; Melman, Arnold; Davies, Kelvin Paul

    2009-10-01

    Intracorporal injection of plasmids encoding opiorphins into retired breeder rats can result in animals developing a priapic-like condition. Microarray analysis demonstrated that following intracorporal gene transfer of plasmids expressing opiorphins the most significantly upregulated gene in corporal tissue was the ornithine decarboxylase gene (ODC). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the upregulation of ODC, as well as other genes involved in polyamine synthesis, such as arginase-I and -II, polyamine oxidase, spermidine synthase, spermidine acetyltransferase (SAT), and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Western blot analysis demonstrated upregulation of arginase-I and -II, ODC, and SAT at the protein level. Levels of the polyamine putrescine were upregulated in animals treated with opiorphin-expressing plasmids compared with controls. A direct role for the upregulation of polyamine synthesis in the development of the priapic-like condition was supported by the observation that the ODC inhibitor 1,3-diaminopropane, when added to the drinking water of animals treated with plasmids expressing opiorphins, prevented experimental priapism. We also demonstrate that in sickle cell mice, another model of priapism, there is increased expression of the mouse opiorphin homologue in corporal tissue compared with the background strain at a life stage prior to evidence of priapism. At a life stage when there is onset of priapism, there is increased expression of the enzymes involved in polyamine synthesis (ODC and arginase-I and -II). Our results suggest that the upregulation of enzymes involved in the polyamine synthetic pathway may play a role in the development of experimental priapism and represent a target for the prevention of priapism.

  15. The mechanism of opiorphin-induced experimental priapism in rats involves activation of the polyamine synthetic pathway

    PubMed Central

    Kanika, Nirmala Devi; Tar, Moses; Tong, Yuehong; Kuppam, Dwaraka Srinivasa Rao; Melman, Arnold

    2009-01-01

    Intracorporal injection of plasmids encoding opiorphins into retired breeder rats can result in animals developing a priapic-like condition. Microarray analysis demonstrated that following intracorporal gene transfer of plasmids expressing opiorphins the most significantly upregulated gene in corporal tissue was the ornithine decarboxylase gene (ODC). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the upregulation of ODC, as well as other genes involved in polyamine synthesis, such as arginase-I and -II, polyamine oxidase, spermidine synthase, spermidine acetyltransferase (SAT), and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Western blot analysis demonstrated upregulation of arginase-I and -II, ODC, and SAT at the protein level. Levels of the polyamine putrescine were upregulated in animals treated with opiorphin-expressing plasmids compared with controls. A direct role for the upregulation of polyamine synthesis in the development of the priapic-like condition was supported by the observation that the ODC inhibitor 1,3-diaminopropane, when added to the drinking water of animals treated with plasmids expressing opiorphins, prevented experimental priapism. We also demonstrate that in sickle cell mice, another model of priapism, there is increased expression of the mouse opiorphin homologue in corporal tissue compared with the background strain at a life stage prior to evidence of priapism. At a life stage when there is onset of priapism, there is increased expression of the enzymes involved in polyamine synthesis (ODC and arginase-I and -II). Our results suggest that the upregulation of enzymes involved in the polyamine synthetic pathway may play a role in the development of experimental priapism and represent a target for the prevention of priapism. PMID:19657052

  16. Role of polyamines at the G1/S boundary and G2/M phase of the cell cycle.

    PubMed

    Yamashita, Tomoko; Nishimura, Kazuhiro; Saiki, Ryotaro; Okudaira, Hiroyuki; Tome, Mayuko; Higashi, Kyohei; Nakamura, Mizuho; Terui, Yusuke; Fujiwara, Kunio; Kashiwagi, Keiko; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2013-06-01

    The role of polyamines at the G1/S boundary and in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle was studied using synchronized HeLa cells treated with thymidine or with thymidine and aphidicolin. Synchronized cells were cultured in the absence or presence of α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, plus ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (EGBG), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. When polyamine content was reduced by treatment with DFMO and EGBG, the transition from G1 to S phase was delayed. In parallel, the level of p27(Kip1) was greatly increased, so its mechanism was studied in detail. Synthesis of p27(Kip1) was stimulated at the level of translation by a decrease in polyamine levels, because of the existence of long 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) in p27(Kip1) mRNA. Similarly, the transition from the G2/M to the G1 phase was delayed by a reduction in polyamine levels. In parallel, the number of multinucleate cells increased by 3-fold. This was parallel with the inhibition of cytokinesis due to an unusual distribution of actin and α-tubulin at the M phase. Since an association of polyamines with chromosomes was not observed by immunofluorescence microscopy at the M phase, polyamines may have only a minor role in structural changes of chromosomes at the M phase. In general, the involvement of polyamines at the G2/M phase was smaller than that at the G1/S boundary. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Polyamine interactions with plant hormones: crosstalk at several levels

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polyamines play important roles in diverse plant growth and development processes including seed germination, tissue lignification, organogenesis, flowering, pollination, embryogenesis, fruit development, ripening, abscission, senescence and stress responses. In all these processes, synergistic and ...

  18. Hydrogen Peroxide and Polyamines Act as Double Edged Swords in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Kamala; Sengupta, Atreyee; Chakraborty, Mayukh; Gupta, Bhaskar

    2016-01-01

    The specific genetic changes through which plants adapt to the multitude of environmental stresses are possible because of the molecular regulations in the system. These intricate regulatory mechanisms once unveiled will surely raise interesting questions. Polyamines and hydrogen peroxide have been suggested to be important signaling molecules during biotic and abiotic stresses. Hydrogen peroxide plays a versatile role from orchestrating physiological processes to stress response. It helps to achieve acclimatization and tolerance to stress by coordinating intra-cellular and systemic signaling systems. Polyamines, on the other hand, are low molecular weight polycationic aliphatic amines, which have been implicated in various stress responses. It is quite interesting to note that both hydrogen peroxide and polyamines have a fine line of inter-relation between them since the catabolic pathways of the latter releases hydrogen peroxide. In this review we have tried to illustrate the roles and their multifaceted functions of these two important signaling molecules based on current literature. This review also highlights the fact that over accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and polyamines can be detrimental for plant cells leading to toxicity and pre-mature cell death.

  19. Role of Polyamines in Parasite Cell Architecture and Function.

    PubMed

    Vannier-Santos, Marcos A; Suarez-Fontes, Ana M

    2017-01-01

    In the absence of accessible, effective vaccines, the fight against parasitic disease relies mostly on chemotherapy. Nevertheless, the considerable side effects, high costs and growing number of refractory cases comprise substantial drawbacks. Thus, the search for new antiparasitic compounds remains a high priority. The polyamine biosynthesis, conversion and transport pathways offer different targets for selective chemotherapy. Polyamine analogues and other antagonists may provide tools in the search for new lead compounds. Light and electron microscopy techniques may encompass valuable approaches to elucidate the possible mechanisms of action of different antiparasitic compounds, allowing the identification of subcellular target compartments, presumably establishing the basis for a more rational drug design and/or planning of therapeutic strategies. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  20. Elevated polyamines in urothelial cells from OAB subjects mediate oxotremorine-evoked rapid intracellular calcium rise and delayed acetylcholine release.

    PubMed

    Li, Mingkai; Sun, Yan; Tomiya, Noboru; Hsu, Yuchao; Chai, Toby C

    2013-08-15

    Increased polyamine signaling in bladder urothelial cells (BUC) may play a role in the pathophysiology of overactive bladder (OAB). We quantitated intracellular polyamine levels in cultured BUC from OAB and asymptomatic (NB) subjects. We assessed whether polyamines modulated rapid intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) changes and delayed acetylcholine (ACh) release evoked by oxotremorine (OXO, a muscarinic agonist). BUC were cultured from cystoscopic biopsies. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantitated intracellular putrescine, spermidine, and spermine levels. Five-millimeter difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), and one-millimeter methylglyoxalbisguanylhydrazone (MGBG) treatments were used to deplete intracellular polyamines. Ten micrometers of OXO were used to increase [Ca(2+)]i levels (measured by fura 2 microfluorimetry) and trigger extracellular ACh release (measured by ELISA). Polyamine levels were elevated in OAB compared with NB BUC (0.5 ± 0.15 vs. 0.16 ± 0.03 nmol/mg for putrescine, 2.4 ± 0.21 vs. 1.01 ± 0.13 nmol/mg for spermidine, and 1.90 ± 0.27 vs. 0.86 ± 0.26 nmol/mg for spermine; P < 0.05 for all comparisons). OXO evoked greater [Ca(2+)]i rise in OAB (205.10 ± 18.82% increase over baseline) compared with in NB BUC (119.54 ± 13.01%; P < 0.05). After polyamine depletion, OXO evoked [Ca(2+)]i rise decreased in OAB and NB BUC to 43.40 ± 6.45 and 38.82 ± 3.5%, respectively. OXO tended to increase ACh release by OAB vs. NB BUC (9.02 ± 0.1 vs. 7.04 ± 0.09 μM, respectively; P < 0.05). Polyamine depletion reduced ACh release by both OAB and NB BUC. In conclusion, polyamine levels were elevated twofold in OAB BUC. OXO evoked greater increase in [Ca(2+)]i and ACh release in OAB BUC, although these two events may be unrelated. Depletion of polyamines caused OAB BUC to behave similarly to NB BUC.

  1. Elevated polyamines in urothelial cells from OAB subjects mediate oxotremorine-evoked rapid intracellular calcium rise and delayed acetylcholine release

    PubMed Central

    Li, Mingkai; Sun, Yan; Tomiya, Noboru; Hsu, Yuchao

    2013-01-01

    Increased polyamine signaling in bladder urothelial cells (BUC) may play a role in the pathophysiology of overactive bladder (OAB). We quantitated intracellular polyamine levels in cultured BUC from OAB and asymptomatic (NB) subjects. We assessed whether polyamines modulated rapid intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) changes and delayed acetylcholine (ACh) release evoked by oxotremorine (OXO, a muscarinic agonist). BUC were cultured from cystoscopic biopsies. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantitated intracellular putrescine, spermidine, and spermine levels. Five-millimeter difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), and one-millimeter methylglyoxalbisguanylhydrazone (MGBG) treatments were used to deplete intracellular polyamines. Ten micrometers of OXO were used to increase [Ca2+]i levels (measured by fura 2 microfluorimetry) and trigger extracellular ACh release (measured by ELISA). Polyamine levels were elevated in OAB compared with NB BUC (0.5 ± 0.15 vs. 0.16 ± 0.03 nmol/mg for putrescine, 2.4 ± 0.21 vs. 1.01 ± 0.13 nmol/mg for spermidine, and 1.90 ± 0.27 vs. 0.86 ± 0.26 nmol/mg for spermine; P < 0.05 for all comparisons). OXO evoked greater [Ca2+]i rise in OAB (205.10 ± 18.82% increase over baseline) compared with in NB BUC (119.54 ± 13.01%; P < 0.05). After polyamine depletion, OXO evoked [Ca2+]i rise decreased in OAB and NB BUC to 43.40 ± 6.45 and 38.82 ± 3.5%, respectively. OXO tended to increase ACh release by OAB vs. NB BUC (9.02 ± 0.1 vs. 7.04 ± 0.09 μM, respectively; P < 0.05). Polyamine depletion reduced ACh release by both OAB and NB BUC. In conclusion, polyamine levels were elevated twofold in OAB BUC. OXO evoked greater increase in [Ca2+]i and ACh release in OAB BUC, although these two events may be unrelated. Depletion of polyamines caused OAB BUC to behave similarly to NB BUC. PMID:23698115

  2. Reduction in polyamine catabolism leads to spermine-mediated airway epithelial injury and induces asthma features.

    PubMed

    Jain, Vaibhav; Raina, Shikha; Gheware, Atish Prabhakar; Singh, Rita; Rehman, Rakhshinda; Negi, Vinny; Murray Stewart, Tracy; Mabalirajan, Ulaganathan; Mishra, Adarsh Kumar; Casero, Robert A; Agrawal, Anurag; Ghosh, Balaram

    2018-05-05

    Airway epithelial injury is a crucial component of acute and severe asthma pathogenesis and a promising target for treatment of refractory asthma. However, the underlying mechanism of epithelial injury remains poorly explored. Though high levels of polyamines, mainly spermine, have been found in asthma and co-morbidity, their role in airway epithelial injury and the cause of their altered levels in asthma has not been explored. We measured key polyamine metabolic enzymes in lung samples from normal and asthmatic subjects and in mice with OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation (AAI). Polyamine metabolism was modulated using pharmacologic/genetic modulators. Epithelial stress and apoptosis were measured by TSLP levels and TUNEL assay, respectively. We found loss of the polyamine catabolic enzymes spermidine/spermine-N (1)-acetyltransferase-1 (SAT1) and spermine oxidase (SMOX) predominantly in bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) of human asthmatic lung samples and mice with AAI. In naïve mice, SAT1 or SMOX knockdown led to airway hyper-responsiveness, remodeling and BEC apoptosis. Conversely, in mice with AAI, overexpression of either SAT1 or SMOX alleviated asthmatic features and reduced TSLP levels and BEC apoptosis. Similarly, while pharmacological induction of SAT1 and SMOX using the polyamine analogue bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSPM) alleviated asthmatic features with reduced TSLP levels and BEC apoptosis, pharmacological inhibition of these enzymes using BERENIL or MDL72527, respectively, worsened them. Spermine accumulation in lungs correlated with BEC apoptosis, and spermine treatment caused apoptosis of human BEAS-2B cells in vitro. Spermine induces BEC injury. Induction of polyamine catabolism may represent a novel therapeutic approach for asthma via reversing BEC stress. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  3. Photoprotective effect of vitamins A and E on polyamine and oxygenated free radical metabolism in hairless mouse epidermis.

    PubMed

    Khettab, N; Amory, M C; Briand, G; Bousquet, B; Combre, A; Forlot, P; Barey, M

    1988-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to confirm the photoprotective effect on skin of vitamins A and E, due to inhibition of polyamine synthesis and production of free radicals. These variables were measured in the lumbar epidermis of the female hairless mouse subjected to UVA + B irradiation. Polyamines were assayed in epidermal homogenate by HPLC, and production of oxygenated free radicals was determined by spectrofluorometric assay of malonyl dialdehyde. It was determined that butyl-hydroxy-toluene and vitamin E inhibited production of free radicals (56% and 60%, respectively) and caused a significant reduction in polyamine biosynthesis (P less than 0.01), whereas the inhibitory effect of malonyl dialdehyde induced by vitamin A (30%) had no associated effect on polyamine metabolism.

  4. Polyamines cause plasma membrane depolarization, activate Ca2+-, and modulate H+-ATPase pump activity in pea roots.

    PubMed

    Pottosin, Igor; Velarde-Buendía, Ana María; Bose, Jayakumar; Fuglsang, Anja T; Shabala, Sergey

    2014-06-01

    Polyamines regulate a variety of cation and K(+) channels, but their potential effects on cation-transporting ATPases are underexplored. In this work, noninvasive microelectrode ion flux estimation and conventional microelectrode techniques were applied to study the effects of polyamines on Ca(2+) and H(+) transport and membrane potential in pea roots. Externally applied spermine or putrescine (1mM) equally activated eosin yellow (EY)-sensitive Ca(2+) pumping across the root epidermis and caused net H(+) influx or efflux. Proton influx induced by spermine was suppressed by EY, supporting the mechanism in which Ca(2+) pump imports 2 H(+) per each exported Ca(2+). Suppression of the Ca(2+) pump by EY diminished putrescine-induced net H(+) efflux instead of increasing it. Thus, activities of Ca(2+) and H(+) pumps were coupled, likely due to the H(+)-pump inhibition by intracellular Ca(2+). Additionally, spermine but not putrescine caused a direct inhibition of H(+) pumping in isolated plasma membrane vesicles. Spermine, spermidine, and putrescine (1mM) induced membrane depolarization by 70, 50, and 35 mV, respectively. Spermine-induced depolarization was abolished by cation transport blocker Gd(3+), was insensitive to anion channels' blocker niflumate, and was dependent on external Ca(2+). Further analysis showed that uptake of polyamines but not polyamine-induced cationic (K(+)+Ca(2+)+H(+)) fluxes were a main cause of membrane depolarization. Polyamine increase is a common component of plant stress responses. Activation of Ca(2+) efflux by polyamines and contrasting effects of polyamines on net H(+) fluxes and membrane potential can contribute to Ca(2+) signalling and modulate a variety of transport processes across the plasma membrane under stress. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz stimulates intestinal epithelial cell migration through a polyamine dependent mechanism.

    PubMed

    Song, Hou-Pan; Li, Ru-Liu; Zhou, Chi; Cai, Xiong; Huang, Hui-Yong

    2015-01-15

    Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (AMK), a valuable traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has been widely used in clinical practice for treating patients with disorders of the digestive system. AMK has shown noteworthy promoting effect on improving gastrointestinal function and immunity, which might represent a promising candidate for the treatment of intestinal mucosa injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of AMK on intestinal mucosal restitution and the underlying mechanisms via intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) cell migration model. A cell migration model of IEC-6 cells was induced by a single-edge razor blade along the diameter of the cell layers in six-well polystyrene plates. After wounding, the cells were grown in control cultures and in cultures containing spermidine (5μM, SPD, reference drug), alpha-difluoromethylornithine (2.5mM, DFMO, polyamine inhibitor), AMK (50, 100, and 200mg/L), DFMO plus SPD and DFMO plus AMK for 12h. The polyamines content was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with pre-column derivatization. The Rho mRNAs expression levels were assessed by Q-RT-PCR. The Rho and non-muscle myosin II proteins expression levels were analyzed by Western blot. The formation and distribution of non-muscle myosin II stress fibers were monitored with immunostaining techniques using specific antibodies and observed by confocal microscopy. Cell migration assay was carried out using inverted microscope and the Image-Pro Plus software. All of these indexes were used to evaluate the effectiveness of AMK. (1) Treatment with AMK caused significant increases in cellular polyamines content and Rho mRNAs and proteins expression levels, as compared to control group. Furthermore, AMK exposure increased non-muscle myosin II protein expression levels and formation of non-muscle myosin II stress fibers, and resulted in an acceleration of cell migration in IEC-6 cells. (2) Depletion of cellular polyamines by DFMO resulted in a

  6. Automated determination of polyamines by high-performance liquid chromatography with simple sample preparation.

    PubMed

    van Eijk, H M; Rooyakkers, D R; Deutz, N E

    1996-04-12

    Recently, a new fully endcapped reversed-phase packing material, Inertsil, was introduced, especially suitable for the determination of basic compounds. We used this packing material to separate ophthaldialdehyde (OPA) derivatives of amino acid derivatives completely from the OPA derivatives of spermine (SPM), spermidine (SPD), putrescine (PUT) and cadaverine (CAD). The obtained separation made the commonly used off-line extraction procedure redundant and thus an on-line sample clean-up was introduced. This enabled automation of the procedure resulting in a better reproducibility and a more efficient use of equipment. Furthermore, no studies are required to determine the extraction recovery. The present method has a cycle time of 30 min. A linear response for each polyamine was found up to 250 pmol, with an R2 ranging from 0.9981 (SPM) to 0.9998 (CAD). The limit of detection, calculated at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, was 0.1 pmol, corresponding to a plasma concentration of 0.1 mumol/l. The coefficient of variation (C.V.) for the peak area was below 3% and for retention times below 0.5% (n = 15). In order to evaluate the applicability of the method, three different types of sample were chromatographed, e.g. urine (obtained from healthy human volunteers), pig plasma and sulfosalicylic acid homogenates of pig intestine biopsies. Tissue homogenates and urine-specimen could easily be quantitated, while plasma concentrations were just above the limit of detection, resulting in a plasma C.V. ranging from 4.8% (SPM) to 13.6% (SPD) and a tissue C.V. ranging from 2.1% (SPM) to 8.5% (CAD), The urinary C.V.s were not determined. In conclusion, the present method provides an easy way to measure polyamine concentrations for most applications.

  7. Effects of a combination of hinokitiol (β-thujaplicin) and an organic acid mixture on ruminal fermentation in heifers fed a high-grain diet.

    PubMed

    Ishii, Junichiro; Omura, Hiroshi; Mitsui, Tadao; Eguchi, Norichika; Ueno, Takashi; Goto, Hisaya; Ito, Hiroshi

    2012-01-01

    This study evaluated the effects of hinokitiol (a natural antibacterial compound extracted from Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai) and an organic acid mixture (citrate content 50%) on ruminal fermentation. Antibacterial properties were examined by measuring minimal inhibitory concentration. Hinokitiol at 1.56µg/mL or an organic acid mixture at 1600µg/mL inhibited Streptococcus bovis growth. The combination of 0.78µg/mL hinokitiol and 200µg/mL of an organic acid mixture also inhibited S. bovis growth. Both hinokitiol and the hinokitiol and an organic acid mixture combination showed strong antibacterial properties on Gram-positive bacteria such as S. bovis, but relatively weak antibacterial activities on Gram-negative bacteria such as Megasphaera elsdenii. Three ruminally cannulated heifers were fed a bloat-producing diet containing barley, pelleted alfalfa meal, soybean meal and salt without long-cut roughage to investigate the ruminal characteristics in vivo. Feeding to heifers a bloat-producing diet containing 7.8mg/kg hinokitiol and 0.2% of an organic acid mixture significantly decreased the increase in stable ingesta volume. Hinokitiol or an organic acid mixture did not affect ruminal volatile fatty acids, protozoa and bacteria. These results suggest that a combination of hinokitiol and an organic acid mixture might reduce frothy bloat in cattle fed high-grain diets. © 2011 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2011 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  8. Intracellular putrescine and spermidine deprivation induces increased uptake of the natural polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

    PubMed Central

    Alhonen-Hongisto, L; Seppänen, P; Jänne, J

    1980-01-01

    Inhibition of polyamine synthesis by alpha-difluoromethylornithine in cultured Ehrlich ascites-carcinoma cells rapidly enhanced the uptake of exogenous putrescine, spermidine and spermine from the culture medium. In tumour cells exposed to the drug for 2 days, the intracellular concentration of spermidine was decreased to less than 10% of that found in untreated cells. However, the strikingly stimulated transport system brought the concentration of spermidine to the control values in less than 2h after supplementation of the cells with micromolar concentrations of the polyamine. In the absence of polyamine deprivation, tumour cells did not accumulate extracellular polyamines to any appreciable extent. Ascites-tumour cells deprived of putrescine and spermidine likewise concentrated methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) [1,1'-[methylethanedylidine)dinitrilo]diguanidine] at a greatly enhanced rate. A previous "priming of tumour cells with difluoromethylornithine followed by an exposure of the cells to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) resulted in a marked and rapid anti-proliferative effect. PMID:6786285

  9. Effects of polyamine levels on the degradation of short-lived and long-lived proteins in cultured L-132 human lung cells.

    PubMed Central

    Corella, D; Guillén, M; Hernández, J M; Hernández-Yago, J

    1998-01-01

    Biogenic polyamines have important regulatory functions in various biological processes and it has also been suggested that they could modulate intracellular protein degradation. For an overall assessment of the role of polyamines in this process, we have investigated the effect that the decrease in intracellular polyamine levels caused by inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis brings about on the degradation of the pools of short- and long-lived proteins in cultured L-132 human lung cells. Treatment of cells with 100 microM (2R,5R)-delta-methyl acetylenic putrescine (MAP), a potent enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, or with 100 microM MAP plus 50 microM N-butyl 1,3-diaminopropane, a specific inhibitor of spermine synthase, caused a similar decrease (65-70% of control) in the total intracellular levels of polyamines, although they affected the concentrations of spermidine and spermine differently. The effect of the two treatments on protein degradation was essentially the same. In polyamine-depleted cells we observed an inhibition of degradation in long-lived proteins of 16% (P<0.05), with a significant increase in the half-life (t12) of this pool from 100.5 to 120.1 h. This was concomitant with an increase of 26% (P<0. 05) in degradation in short-lived proteins, with a significant decrease in the t12 of this pool from 0.85 to 0.67 h. Recovery of polyamine levels by the addition of 50 microM spermidine to polyamine-depleted cells resulted in a restoration of the degradation rates in both pools of proteins. The way(s) by which polyamines could modulate proteolysis are discussed. PMID:9716494

  10. Correlation between endogenous polyamines in human cardiac tissues and clinical parameters in patients with heart failure.

    PubMed

    Meana, Clara; Rubín, José Manuel; Bordallo, Carmen; Suárez, Lorena; Bordallo, Javier; Sánchez, Manuel

    2016-02-01

    Polyamines contribute to several physiological and pathological processes, including cardiac hypertrophy in experimental animals. This involves an increase in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and intracellular polyamines associated with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) increases. The aim of the study was to establish the role of these in the human heart in living patients. For this, polyamines (by high performance liquid chromatography) and the activity of ODC and N(1)-acetylpolyamine oxidases (APAO) were determined in the right atrial appendage of 17 patients undergoing extracorporeal circulation to correlate with clinical parameters. There existed enzymatic activity associated with the homeostasis of polyamines. Left atria size was positively associated with ODC (r = 0.661, P = 0.027) and negatively with APAO-N(1) -acetylspermine (r = -0.769, P = 0.026), suggesting that increased levels of polyamines are associated with left atrial hemodynamic overload. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and heart rate were positively associated with spermidine (r = 0.690, P = 0.003; r = 0.590, P = 0.021) and negatively with N(1)-acetylspermidine (r = -0.554, P = 0.032; r = -0.644, P = 0.018). LVEF was negatively correlated with cAMP levels (r = -0.835, P = 0.001) and with cAMP/ODC (r = -0.794, P = 0.011), cAMP/spermidine (r = -0.813, P = 0.001) and cAMP/spermine (r = -0.747, P = 0.003) ratios. Abnormal LVEF patients showed decreased ODC activity and spermidine, and increased N(1) -acetylspermidine, and cAMP. Spermine decreased in congestive heart failure patients. The trace amine isoamylamine negatively correlated with septal wall thickness (r = -0.634, P = 0.008) and was increased in cardiac heart failure. The results indicated that modifications in polyamine homeostasis might be associated with cardiac function and remodelling. Increased cAMP might have a deleterious effect on function. Further studies should confirm these findings and the involvement of

  11. Assessment of the capillary zone electrophoretic behavior of proteins in the presence of electroosmotic modifiers: protein-polyamine interaction studied using a polyacrylamide-coated capillary.

    PubMed

    Kubo, K; Hattori, A

    2001-10-01

    The use of polyamines as electroosmotic modifiers has been shown to be effective in enhancing resolution of protein glycoforms in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) using a bare capillary tube. In this study, effectiveness was evaluated by using a polyacrylamide-coated capillary tube instead of a bare capillary tube. Electropherograms obtained in the presence of polyamines were inferior to those obtained in their absence with respect to resolution. Electrophoretic mobility of the proteins decreased and their peaks were broadened by polyamines bound to them. This unfavorable effect was dependent on both the species of polyamines and the pH values of the electrolyte buffer. The reduction of resolution caused by polyamines was in the following order: spermidine (SPD) approximately spermidine-tri-hydrochloride (SPD-HCI) > putrescine (PUT) > hexamethonium chloride (HMC). The observed effect can be ascribed to the formation of complexes between the proteins and the polyamines. In addition, for the bare capillary tube the complexes showed interaction with the inner surface, resulting in local suppression of electroosmosis and poor resolution. The high resolution obtained in the coated capillary tube was reduced in the presence of the polyamines. Thus, the use of the polyamines has a negative effect on the analysis of protein microheterogeneity as a result of protein-polyamine interaction.

  12. Electro-olfactogram and multiunit olfactory receptor responses to binary and trinary mixtures of amino acids in the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

    PubMed Central

    1989-01-01

    In vivo electrophysiological recordings from populations of olfactory receptor neurons in the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, clearly showed that responses to binary and trinary mixtures of amino acids were predictable with knowledge obtained from previous cross-adaptation studies of the relative independence of the respective binding sites of the component stimuli. All component stimuli, from which equal aliquots were drawn to form the mixtures, were adjusted in concentration to provide for approximately equal response magnitudes. The magnitude of the response to a mixture whose component amino acids showed significant cross-reactivity was equivalent to the response to any single component used to form that mixture. A mixture whose component amino acids showed minimal cross-adaptation produced a significantly larger relative response than a mixture whose components exhibited considerable cross-reactivity. This larger response approached the sum of the responses to the individual component amino acids tested at the resulting concentrations in the mixture, even though olfactory receptor dose-response functions for amino acids in this species are characterized by extreme sensory compression (i.e., successive concentration increments produce progressively smaller physiological responses). Thus, the present study indicates that the response to sensory stimulation of olfactory receptor sites is more enhanced by the activation of different receptor site types than by stimulus interaction at a single site type. PMID:2703818

  13. Effects of Whey Protein Hydrolysate Ingestion on Postprandial Aminoacidemia Compared with a Free Amino Acid Mixture in Young Men

    PubMed Central

    Nakayama, Kyosuke; Sanbongi, Chiaki; Ikegami, Shuji

    2018-01-01

    To stimulate muscle protein synthesis, it is important to increase the plasma levels of essential amino acids (EAA), especially leucine, by ingesting proteins. Protein hydrolysate ingestion can induce postprandial hyperaminoacidemia; however, it is unclear whether protein hydrolysate is associated with higher levels of aminoacidemia compared with a free amino acid mixture when both are ingested orally. We assessed the effects of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) ingestion on postprandial aminoacidemia, especially plasma leucine levels, compared to ingestion of a free amino acid mixture. This study was an open-label, randomized, 4 × 4 Latin square design. After 12–15 h of fasting, 11 healthy young men ingested the WPH (3.3, 5.0, or 7.5 g of protein) or the EAA mixture (2.5 g). Blood samples were collected before ingestion and at time points from 10 to 120 min after ingestion, and amino acids, insulin, glucose and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations in plasma were measured. Even though the EAA mixture and 5.0 g of the WPH contained similar amounts of EAA and leucine, the WPH was associated with significantly higher plasma EAA and leucine levels. These results suggest that the WPH can induce a higher level of aminoacidemia compared with a free amino acid mixture when both are ingested orally. PMID:29671767

  14. Effects of Whey Protein Hydrolysate Ingestion on Postprandial Aminoacidemia Compared with a Free Amino Acid Mixture in Young Men.

    PubMed

    Nakayama, Kyosuke; Sanbongi, Chiaki; Ikegami, Shuji

    2018-04-19

    To stimulate muscle protein synthesis, it is important to increase the plasma levels of essential amino acids (EAA), especially leucine, by ingesting proteins. Protein hydrolysate ingestion can induce postprandial hyperaminoacidemia; however, it is unclear whether protein hydrolysate is associated with higher levels of aminoacidemia compared with a free amino acid mixture when both are ingested orally. We assessed the effects of whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) ingestion on postprandial aminoacidemia, especially plasma leucine levels, compared to ingestion of a free amino acid mixture. This study was an open-label, randomized, 4 × 4 Latin square design. After 12⁻15 h of fasting, 11 healthy young men ingested the WPH (3.3, 5.0, or 7.5 g of protein) or the EAA mixture (2.5 g). Blood samples were collected before ingestion and at time points from 10 to 120 min after ingestion, and amino acids, insulin, glucose and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations in plasma were measured. Even though the EAA mixture and 5.0 g of the WPH contained similar amounts of EAA and leucine, the WPH was associated with significantly higher plasma EAA and leucine levels. These results suggest that the WPH can induce a higher level of aminoacidemia compared with a free amino acid mixture when both are ingested orally.

  15. Use of super acids to digest chrysotile and amosite asbestos in simple mixtures or matrices found in building materials compositions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sugama, T.; Petrakis, L.; Webster, R.P.

    A composition for converting asbestos-containing material to environmentally benign components is provided. The composition comprises a fluoro acid decomposing agent which can be applied to either amosite-containing thermal insulation or chrysotile-containing fire-proof material or to any asbestos-containing material which includes of chrysotile and amosite asbestos. The fluoro acid decomposing agent includes FP{sub 0}(OH){sub 2}, hexafluorophosphoric acid, a mixture of hydrofluoric and phosphoric acid and a mixture of hexafluorophosphoric acid and phosphoric acid. A method for converting asbestos-containing material to environmentally benign components is also provided.

  16. Polyamine formation by arginine decarboxylase as a transducer of hormonal, environmental and stress stimuli in higher plants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Galston, A. W.; Flores, H. E.; Kaur-Sawhney, R.

    1982-01-01

    Recent evidence implicates polyamines including putrescine in the regulation of such diverse plant processes as cell division, embryogenesis and senescence. We find that the enzyme arginine decarboxylase, which controls the rate of putrescine formation in some plant systems, is activated by light acting through P(r) phytochrome as a receptor, by the plant hormone gibberellic acid, by osmotic shock and by other stress stimuli. We therefore propose arginine decarboxylase as a possible transducer of the various initially received tropistic stimuli in plants. The putrescine formed could act by affecting cytoskeletal components.

  17. Polyamine conjugation of curcumin analogues toward the discovery of mitochondria-directed neuroprotective agents.

    PubMed

    Simoni, Elena; Bergamini, Christian; Fato, Romana; Tarozzi, Andrea; Bains, Sandip; Motterlini, Roberto; Cavalli, Andrea; Bolognesi, Maria Laura; Minarini, Anna; Hrelia, Patrizia; Lenaz, Giorgio; Rosini, Michela; Melchiorre, Carlo

    2010-10-14

    Mitochondria-directed antioxidants 2-5 were designed by conjugating curcumin congeners with different polyamine motifs as vehicle tools. The conjugates emerged as efficient antioxidants in mitochondria and fibroblasts and also exerted a protecting role through heme oxygenase-1 activation. Notably, the insertion of a polyamine function into the curcumin-like moiety allowed an efficient intracellular uptake and mitochondria targeting. It also resulted in a significant decrease in the cytotoxicity effects. 2-5 are therefore promising molecules for neuroprotectant lead discovery.

  18. Comparative study of polyethylene polyamines as activator molecules for a structurally unstable group I ribozyme.

    PubMed

    Gulshan, Mst Ara; Matsumura, Shigeyoshi; Higuchi, Tsunehiko; Umezawa, Naoki; Ikawa, Yoshiya

    2018-04-26

    Polyamines are a promising class of molecules that can modulate RNA enzyme activities. To analyze the effects of the number of amine moieties systematically, we employed four polyamines sharing dimethylene units to connect amine moieties. As a model RNA enzyme, we used a structurally unstable group I ribozyme, which was activated most and least efficiently by tetraethylenepentamine and diethylenetriamine respectively.

  19. Enzymes loaded chitosan/coconut fibre/zinc oxide nanoparticles strip for polyamine determination.

    PubMed

    Hooda, Vinita; Archita

    2018-01-15

    Most often, the immobilized enzyme based quantification is an attractive alternative to other chromatographic, electrochemical and mass spectrometry based methods due to its specificity and simplicity. In the present study, polyamine oxidase specific for spermine and spermidine and diamine oxidase specific for putrescine, were co-immobilized onto a novel chitosan/coconut fibre/zinc oxide nanoparticles (CS/CF/nZnO) hybrid support to yield a polyamine sensing strip. The strip worked optimally at pH 7.0, temperature 25°C and 6min of incubation time. Pretty good values for kinetic constants Km app (6.60mM), Vmax (17.69μmol/min mg protein) and kcat app (1987.64s -1 ) as well as for thermal (<50 % activity retained at 40°C), storage (half life-40days) and operational stabilities (<90 % activity retained after 20 reuses) were obtained. The strip was employed for polyamine determination in some of the locally grown fruit and vegetables and the results were found to be comparable, reliable and reproducible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Absorption from a mixture of seventeen free amino acids by the isolated small intestine of the rat.

    PubMed Central

    Gardner, M L

    1976-01-01

    Absorption and secretion from a mixture of seventeen free amino acids has been measured in isolated perfused rat small intestine. 2. The absorption rate of an amino acid from this mixture is proportional to its concentration in the perfusate and independent of its chemical constitution. The constant of proportionality is the same as that previously observed when the perfusate contained peptides as well as amino acids. 3. Amino acids are concentrated, on average, sixfold during passage across the mucosa, and the free amino acid composition of the secretion into the tissue fluid is very similar to that of the luminal perfusate. 4. Peptides do not appear to be added to the tissue fluid during absorption of free amino acids. 5. It is concluded that the mechanisms for absorption of free amino acids are in general independent of those for absorption of peptides. PMID:1255532

  1. Arginine pathways and the inflammatory response: interregulation of nitric oxide and polyamines: review article.

    PubMed

    Satriano, J

    2004-07-01

    An early response to an acute inflammatory insult, such as wound healing or experimental glomerulonephritis, is the conversion of arginine to the cytostatic molecule nitric oxide (NO). This 'anti-bacterial' phase is followed by the conversion of arginine to ornithine, which is the precursor for the pro-proliferative polyamines as well as proline for the production of extracellular matrix. This latter, pro-growth phase constitutes a 'repair' phase response. The temporal switch of arginine as a substrate for the cytostatic iNOS/NO axis to the pro-growth arginase/ ornithine/polyamine and proline axis is subject to regulation by inflammatory cytokines as well as interregulation by the arginine metabolites themselves. Arginine is also the precursor for another biogenic amine, agmatine. Here we describe the capacity of these three arginine pathways to interregulate, and propose a model whereby agmatine has the potential to serve in the coordination of the early and repair phase pathways of arginine in the inflammatory response by acting as a gating mechanism at the transition from the iNOS/NO axis to the arginase/ODC/polyamine axis. Due to the pathophysiologic and therapeutic potential, we will further examine the antiproliferative effects of agmatine on the polyamine pathway.

  2. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) as an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis in L1210 leukemia cells.

    PubMed

    Seppänen, P; Ruohola, H; Jänne, J

    1984-04-16

    Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), a close derivative of the known anti-cancer drug methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), is also a powerful inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), the enzyme needed for the synthesis of spermidine and spermine. There were, however, marked differences between the ethyl and methyl derivatives of glyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) when tested in cultured L1210 cells. The cellular accumulation of ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) represented only a fraction (20-25%) of that of the methyl derivative. Moreover, polyamine depletion, which is known to strikingly stimulate the uptake of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), decreased, if anything, the uptake of ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) by L1210 cells. The compound produced spermidine and spermine depletion fully comparable to that achieved with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) at micromolar concentrations. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was growth-inhibitory to L1210 cells and produced an additive antiproliferative action when used together with 2-difluoromethylornithine. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was distinctly less effective than methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in releasing bound polyamines from isolated cell organelles in vitro. Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was also devoid of the early and profound mitochondrial toxicity typical to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). These findings may indicate that this compound is a more specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis with less intracellular polyamine 'receptor-site' activity than methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

  3. Regulation of Intestinal Mucosal Growth by Amino Acids

    PubMed Central

    Ray, Ramesh M.; Johnson, Leonard R.

    2013-01-01

    Amino acids, especially glutamine (GLN) have been known for many years to stimulate the growth of small intestinal mucosa. Polyamines are also required for optimal mucosal growth, and the inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the first rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis, blocks growth. Certain amino acids, primarily asparagine (ASN) and GLN stimulate ODC activity in a solution of physiological salts. More importantly, their presence is also required before growth factors and hormones such as EGF and insulin are able to increase ODC activity. ODC activity is inhibited by antizyme-1 (AZ) whose synthesis is stimulated by polyamines, thus, providing a negative feedback regulation of the enzyme. In the absence of amino acids mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is inhibited, whereas, mTORC2 is stimulated leading to the inhibition of global protein synthesis but increasing the synthesis of AZ via a cap-independent mechanism. These data, therefore, explain why ASN or GLN is essential for the activation of ODC. Interestingly, in a number of papers, AZ has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation, stimulate apoptosis or increase autophagy. Each of these activities results in decreased cellular growth. AZ binds to and accelerates the degradation of ODC and other proteins shown to regulate proliferation and cell death, such as Aurora-A, Cyclin D1 and Smad1. The correlation between the stimulation of ODC activity and the absence of AZ as influenced by amino acids is high. Not only do amino acids such as ASN and GLN stimulate ODC while inhibiting AZ synthesis, but also amino acids such as lysine, valine and ornithine, which inhibit ODC activity, increase the synthesis of AZ. The question remaining to be answered is whether AZ inhibits growth directly or whether it acts by decreasing the availability of polyamines to the dividing cells. In either case, evidence strongly suggests that the regulation of AZ synthesis is the mechanism through which amino

  4. Regulation of intestinal mucosal growth by amino acids.

    PubMed

    Ray, Ramesh M; Johnson, Leonard R

    2014-03-01

    Amino acids, especially glutamine (GLN) have been known for many years to stimulate the growth of small intestinal mucosa. Polyamines are also required for optimal mucosal growth, and the inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the first rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis, blocks growth. Certain amino acids, primarily asparagine (ASN) and GLN stimulate ODC activity in a solution of physiological salts. More importantly, their presence is also required before growth factors and hormones such as epidermal growth factor and insulin are able to increase ODC activity. ODC activity is inhibited by antizyme-1 (AZ) whose synthesis is stimulated by polyamines, thus, providing a negative feedback regulation of the enzyme. In the absence of amino acids mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is inhibited, whereas, mTORC2 is stimulated leading to the inhibition of global protein synthesis but increasing the synthesis of AZ via a cap-independent mechanism. These data, therefore, explain why ASN or GLN is essential for the activation of ODC. Interestingly, in a number of papers, AZ has been shown to inhibit cell proliferation, stimulate apoptosis, or increase autophagy. Each of these activities results in decreased cellular growth. AZ binds to and accelerates the degradation of ODC and other proteins shown to regulate proliferation and cell death, such as Aurora-A, Cyclin D1, and Smad1. The correlation between the stimulation of ODC activity and the absence of AZ as influenced by amino acids is high. Not only do amino acids such as ASN and GLN stimulate ODC while inhibiting AZ synthesis, but also amino acids such as lysine, valine, and ornithine, which inhibit ODC activity, increase the synthesis of AZ. The question remaining to be answered is whether AZ inhibits growth directly or whether it acts by decreasing the availability of polyamines to the dividing cells. In either case, evidence strongly suggests that the regulation of AZ synthesis is the

  5. Improved method for HPLC analysis of polyamines, agmatine and aromatic monoamines in plant tissue

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Slocum, R. D.; Flores, H. E.; Galston, A. W.; Weinstein, L. H.

    1989-01-01

    The high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method of Flores and Galston (1982 Plant Physiol 69: 701) for the separation and quantitation of benzoylated polyamines in plant tissues has been widely adopted by other workers. However, due to previously unrecognized problems associated with the derivatization of agmatine, this important intermediate in plant polyamine metabolism cannot be quantitated using this method. Also, two polyamines, putrescine and diaminopropane, also are not well resolved using this method. A simple modification of the original HPLC procedure greatly improves the separation and quantitation of these amines, and further allows the simulation analysis of phenethylamine and tyramine, which are major monoamine constituents of tobacco and other plant tissues. We have used this modified HPLC method to characterize amine titers in suspension cultured carrot (Daucas carota L.) cells and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaf tissues.

  6. Activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress response by enhanced polyamine catabolism is important in the mediation of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury

    PubMed Central

    Barone, Sharon; Destefano-Shields, Christina; Brooks, Marybeth; Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Dunworth, Matthew; Li, Weimin; Doherty, Joanne R.; Hall, Mark A.; Smith, Roger D.; Cleveland, John L.; Casero, Robert A.; Soleimani, Manoocher

    2017-01-01

    Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity limits its use in many cancer patients. The expression of enzymes involved in polyamine catabolism, spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and spermine oxidase (SMOX) increase in the kidneys of mice treated with cisplatin. We hypothesized that enhanced polyamine catabolism contributes to tissue damage in cisplatin acute kidney injury (AKI). Using gene knockout and chemical inhibitors, the role of polyamine catabolism in cisplatin AKI was examined. Deficiency of SSAT, SMOX or neutralization of the toxic products of polyamine degradation, H2O2 and aminopropanal, significantly diminished the severity of cisplatin AKI. In vitro studies demonstrated that the induction of SSAT and elevated polyamine catabolism in cells increases the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) and enhances the expression of binding immunoglobulin protein BiP/GRP78) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP/GADD153). The increased expression of these endoplasmic reticulum stress response (ERSR) markers was accompanied by the activation of caspase-3. These results suggest that enhanced polyamine degradation in cisplatin AKI may lead to tubular damage through the induction of ERSR and the consequent onset of apoptosis. In support of the above, we show that the ablation of the SSAT or SMOX gene, as well as the neutralization of polyamine catabolism products modulate the onset of ERSR (e.g. lower BiP and CHOP) and apoptosis (e.g. reduced activated caspase-3). These studies indicate that enhanced polyamine catabolism and its toxic products are important mediators of ERSR and critical to the pathogenesis of cisplatin AKI. PMID:28886181

  7. Activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress response by enhanced polyamine catabolism is important in the mediation of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury.

    PubMed

    Zahedi, Kamyar; Barone, Sharon; Destefano-Shields, Christina; Brooks, Marybeth; Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Dunworth, Matthew; Li, Weimin; Doherty, Joanne R; Hall, Mark A; Smith, Roger D; Cleveland, John L; Casero, Robert A; Soleimani, Manoocher

    2017-01-01

    Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity limits its use in many cancer patients. The expression of enzymes involved in polyamine catabolism, spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and spermine oxidase (SMOX) increase in the kidneys of mice treated with cisplatin. We hypothesized that enhanced polyamine catabolism contributes to tissue damage in cisplatin acute kidney injury (AKI). Using gene knockout and chemical inhibitors, the role of polyamine catabolism in cisplatin AKI was examined. Deficiency of SSAT, SMOX or neutralization of the toxic products of polyamine degradation, H2O2 and aminopropanal, significantly diminished the severity of cisplatin AKI. In vitro studies demonstrated that the induction of SSAT and elevated polyamine catabolism in cells increases the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) and enhances the expression of binding immunoglobulin protein BiP/GRP78) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP/GADD153). The increased expression of these endoplasmic reticulum stress response (ERSR) markers was accompanied by the activation of caspase-3. These results suggest that enhanced polyamine degradation in cisplatin AKI may lead to tubular damage through the induction of ERSR and the consequent onset of apoptosis. In support of the above, we show that the ablation of the SSAT or SMOX gene, as well as the neutralization of polyamine catabolism products modulate the onset of ERSR (e.g. lower BiP and CHOP) and apoptosis (e.g. reduced activated caspase-3). These studies indicate that enhanced polyamine catabolism and its toxic products are important mediators of ERSR and critical to the pathogenesis of cisplatin AKI.

  8. Toxicokinetics and oral bioavailability of halogenated acetic acids mixtures in naïve and GSTzeta-depleted rats.

    PubMed

    Saghir, Shakil A; Schultz, Irvin R

    2005-04-01

    Disinfection of drinking water typically produces a mixture of mono-, di-, and tri-halogenated acetic acids (HAAs). In this study, we investigated the toxicokinetics of HAA mixtures in naive and glutathione transferase zeta 1 (GSTzeta)-depleted male F344 rats administered orally or iv to Mixture-1 (monobromo [MBAA]- dichloro- [DCAA], chlorodibromo- [CDBAA], tribromo- [TBAA] acetic acids) or Mixture-2 (bromochloro- [BCAA], dibromo- [DBAA], trichloro- [TCAA] bromodichloro- [BDCAA] acetic acids) at a dose of 25 micromol/kg HAA. Serial blood samples were collected at various times up to 36 h, and the plasma concentrations of each HAA quantified by GC-ECD. Rats were pretreated for 7 d with drinking water containing 0.2 g/l DCAA to deplete the GSTzeta (GSTZ1-1) activity in the liver. An additional group of GSTzeta-depleted rats were orally dosed with each mixture and euthanized at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h to determine tissue distribution of mixture components. In both mixtures, GSTzeta depletion primarily affected the toxicokinetics of di-HAAs (DCAA, BCAA, and DBAA), with the total body clearance (Cl b) decreasing 3- to 10-fold. Interestingly, DCAA pretreatment appeared to increase the elimination of Mixture-2 tri-HAAs (TCAA and BDCAA). After oral administration, DCAA exhibited a complex time-course plasma profile with secondary peaks appearing long after completion of the initial absorption phase. This phenomenon coincided with elevated DCA levels in the lower portion of the GI tract compared to CDBAA and TBAA. Comparison of the results with previous studies employing similar or higher doses of individual HAAs indicated the primary difference in HAA toxicokinetics when administered as mixture was a reduction in Cl b. These results suggest competitive interactions between tri- and di-HAAs beyond what would be predicted from individual HAA studies. For di-HAAs, the total dose is important, as clearance is dose dependent due to competition for GSTzeta. When considering HAA

  9. Actions of arginine polyamine on voltage and ligand-activated whole cell currents recorded from cultured neurones.

    PubMed Central

    Scott, R. H.; Sweeney, M. I.; Kobrinsky, E. M.; Pearson, H. A.; Timms, G. H.; Pullar, I. A.; Wedley, S.; Dolphin, A. C.

    1992-01-01

    1. Toxins from invertebrates have proved useful tools for investigation of the properties of ion channels. In this study we describe the actions of arginine polyamine which is believed to be a close analogue of FTX, a polyamine isolated from the American funnel web spider, Agelenopsis aperta. 2. Voltage-activated Ca2+ currents and Ca(2+)-dependent Cl- currents recorded from rat cultured dorsal root ganglion neurones were reversibly inhibited by arginine polyamine (AP; 0.001 to 100 microM). Low voltage-activated T-type Ca2+ currents were significantly more sensitive to AP than high voltage-activated Ca2+ currents. The IC50 values for the actions of AP on low and high voltage-activated Ca2+ currents were 10 nM and 3 microM respectively. AP was equally effective in inhibiting high voltage-activated currents carried by Ba2+, Sr2+ or Ca2+. However, AP-induced inhibition of Ca2+ currents was attenuated by increasing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 2 mM to 10 mM. 3. The actions of AP on a Ca(2+)-independent K+ current were more complex, 1 microM AP enhanced this current but 10 microM AP had a dual action, initially enhancing but then inhibiting the K+ current. 4. gamma-Aminobutyric acid-activated Cl- currents were also reversibly inhibited by 1 to 10 microM AP. In contrast N-methyl-D-aspartate currents recorded from rat cultured cerebellar neurones were greatly enhanced by 10 microM AP. 5. We conclude that at a concentration of 10 nM, AP is a selective inhibitor of low threshold T-type voltage-activated Ca2+ currents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1380382

  10. Actions of arginine polyamine on voltage and ligand-activated whole cell currents recorded from cultured neurones.

    PubMed

    Scott, R H; Sweeney, M I; Kobrinsky, E M; Pearson, H A; Timms, G H; Pullar, I A; Wedley, S; Dolphin, A C

    1992-05-01

    1. Toxins from invertebrates have proved useful tools for investigation of the properties of ion channels. In this study we describe the actions of arginine polyamine which is believed to be a close analogue of FTX, a polyamine isolated from the American funnel web spider, Agelenopsis aperta. 2. Voltage-activated Ca2+ currents and Ca(2+)-dependent Cl- currents recorded from rat cultured dorsal root ganglion neurones were reversibly inhibited by arginine polyamine (AP; 0.001 to 100 microM). Low voltage-activated T-type Ca2+ currents were significantly more sensitive to AP than high voltage-activated Ca2+ currents. The IC50 values for the actions of AP on low and high voltage-activated Ca2+ currents were 10 nM and 3 microM respectively. AP was equally effective in inhibiting high voltage-activated currents carried by Ba2+, Sr2+ or Ca2+. However, AP-induced inhibition of Ca2+ currents was attenuated by increasing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 2 mM to 10 mM. 3. The actions of AP on a Ca(2+)-independent K+ current were more complex, 1 microM AP enhanced this current but 10 microM AP had a dual action, initially enhancing but then inhibiting the K+ current. 4. gamma-Aminobutyric acid-activated Cl- currents were also reversibly inhibited by 1 to 10 microM AP. In contrast N-methyl-D-aspartate currents recorded from rat cultured cerebellar neurones were greatly enhanced by 10 microM AP. 5. We conclude that at a concentration of 10 nM, AP is a selective inhibitor of low threshold T-type voltage-activated Ca2+ currents. However, at higher concentrations 1-10 microM AP interacts with ion channels or other membrane constituents to produce a variety of actions on both voltage and ligand gated ion channels.

  11. Independent roles of eIF5A and polyamines in cell proliferation

    PubMed Central

    2004-01-01

    To examine the roles of active hypusinated eIF5A (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A) and polyamines in cell proliferation, mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cells were treated with an inhibitor of deoxyhypusine synthase, GC7 (N1-guanyl-1, 7-diaminoheptane), or with an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, DFMO (α-difluoromethylornithine), or with DFMO plus an inhibitor of spermine synthase, APCHA [N1-(3-aminopropyl)-cyclohexylamine]. Treatment with GC7 decreased the level of active eIF5A on day 1 without affecting cellular polyamine content, and inhibition of cell growth occurred from day 2. This delay reflects the fact that eIF5A was present in excess and was very stable in these cells. Treatment with DFMO or with DFMO plus APCHA inhibited cell growth on day 1. DFMO considerably decreased the levels of putrescine and spermidine, and the formation of active eIF5A began to decrease when the level of spermidine fell below 8 nmol/mg of protein after 12 h of incubation with DFMO. The combination of DFMO and APCHA markedly decreased the levels of putrescine and spermine and significantly decreased the level of spermidine, but did not affect the level of active eIF5A until day 3 when spermidine level decreased to 7 nmol/mg of protein. The results show that a decrease in either active eIF5A or polyamines inhibits cell growth, indicating that eIF5A and polyamines are independently involved in cell growth. PMID:15377278

  12. Polyamine biosynthesis in Phytomonas: biochemical characterisation of a very unstable ornithine decarboxylase.

    PubMed

    Marcora, M Silvina; Cejas, Silvina; González, Nélida S; Carrillo, Carolina; Algranati, Israel D

    2010-10-01

    The metabolism of polyamines as well as their functions as growth regulators in plants have been extensively studied for many years. However, almost nothing is known about the biosynthesis and roles of these substances in Phytomonas spp., parasites of several plants. We have used HPLC and electrophoretic analyses to investigate the presence and metabolism of polyamines in Phytomonas Jma strain, detecting both putrescine and spermidine but not spermine. Experiments carried out by incubation of intact parasites with labelled ornithine or putrescine showed the formation of radioactive putrescine or spermidine, respectively. These results indicated that Phytomonas Jma can synthesise these polyamines through the action of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and spermidine synthase. On the other hand, we could not detect the conversion of arginine to agmatine, suggesting the absence of arginine decarboxylase (ADC) in Phytomonas. However, we cannot ensure the complete absence of this enzymatic activity in the parasite. Phytomonas ODC required pyridoxal 5'-phosphate for maximum activity and was specifically inhibited by α-difluoromethylornithine. The metabolic turnover of the enzyme was very high, with a half-life of 10-15 min, one of the shortest found among all ODC enzymes studied to date. The parasite proteasome seems to be involved in degradation of the enzyme, since Phytomonas ODC can be markedly stabilized by MG-132, a well known proteasome inhibitor. The addition of polyamines to Phytomonas cultures did not decrease ODC activity, strongly suggesting the possible absence of antizyme in this parasite. Copyright © 2010 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Thermophysical Properties of Energetic Ionic Liquids/Nitric Acid Mixtures: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-01-01

    W L. Physical properties of concentrated nitric acid . UNT Digital Library. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc56640/.) 23 M. Engelmann... Nitric Acid Mixtures: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA9300-11-C-3012 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239.18 1     Thermophysical  Properties  of  Energetic  Ionic  Liquids/ Nitric   Acid

  14. A quantitative analysis of the polyamine in lung cancer patient fingernails by LC-ESI-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Min, Jun Zhe; Matsumoto, Akihito; Li, Gao; Jiang, Ying-Zi; Yu, Hai-Fu; Todoroki, Kenichiro; Inoue, Koichi; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa

    2014-04-01

    A quantitative analysis of polyamines in lung cancer patient fingernails by the combination of 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole derivatives and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry is described. The reaction of the reagent with eight kinds of polyamines, that is, N(1) -acetylputrescine (N(1) -actPUT), N(8) -acetylspermidine, N(1) -acetylspermine, 1,3-diaminopropane, putrescine (PUT), cadaverine, spermidine and spermine (SPM) effectively occurs at 60 °C for 30 min. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio 5) were 5-100 fmol. A good linearity was achieved from the calibration curves, which was obtained by plotting the peak area ratios of the analytes relative to the internal standard (IS), that is, 1,6-diaminohexane, vs the injected amounts of polyamines (r(2)  > 0.996), and the intra-day and inter-day assay precisions were <9.84%. Furthermore, the recoveries (%) of the polyamines spiked in the human fingernails were 89.14-110.64. The present method was applied to human fingernail samples from 17 lung cancer patients and 39 healthy volunteers. The polyamine concentration was different based on the gender, that is, the N(1) -actPUT and PUT contents were 3.10 times and 2.56 times higher in healthy men than in women, respectively. Additionally, in the lung cancer patient group, as compared with the healthy volunteers, the concentrations of SPM had a statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlation. Therefore, because the proposed method provides a good mass accuracy and the trace detection of the polyamines in human fingernails, this analytical technique could be a noninvasive technique to assist in the diagnosis and assessment of disease activity in lung cancer patients. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Experimental investigation of thermodynamic properties of binary mixture of acetic acid + n-butanol and acetic acid + water at temperature from 293.15 K to 343.15 K

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paul, M. Danish John; Shruthi, N.; Anantharaj, R.

    2018-04-01

    The derived thermodynamic properties like excess molar volume, partial molar volume, excess partial molar volume and apparent volume of binary mixture of acetic acid + n-butanolandacetic acid + water has been investigated using measured density of mixtures at temperatures from 293.15 K to 343.15.

  16. Comparison of specificity of inhibition of polyamine synthesis in bovine lymphocytes by ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

    PubMed

    Igarashi, K; Porter, C W; Morris, D R

    1984-11-01

    Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (EGBG) was compared as an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) in bovine small lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A. EGBG brought about a decrease in spermidine and spermine levels equal to that found with MGBG, but at a 5-fold lower intracellular drug concentration. Despite identical polyamine levels, the degree of inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis by EGBG was smaller than that observed with MGBG, in either the presence or absence of the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine. It was found that in vitro protein synthesis and in vivo mitochondrial function were inhibited by concentrations of MGBG necessary to inhibit polyamine synthesis in cells (1 to 3 mM), but not by efficacious levels of EGBG (0.2 to 0.6 mM). These results suggest that EGBG is more suitable as a specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis and that use of this drug, rather than MGBG, in combination with alpha-difluoromethylornithine may be useful for studying the physiological functions of polyamines in animal cells.

  17. Treatment with polyamine oxidase inhibitor reduces microglial activation and limits vascular injury in ischemic retinopathy

    PubMed Central

    Patel, C.; Xu, Z.; Shosha, E.; Xing, J.; Lucas, R.; Caldwell, R.W.; Caldwell, R.B.; Narayanan, S.P.

    2016-01-01

    Retinal vascular injury is a major cause of vision impairment in ischemic retinopathies. Insults such as hyperoxia, oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to this pathology. Previously, we showed that hyperoxia-induced retinal neurodegeneration is associated with increased polyamine oxidation. Here, we are studying the involvement of polyamine oxidases in hyperoxia-induced injury and death of retinal vascular endothelial cells. Newborn C57BL6/J mice were exposed to hyperoxia (70% O2) from postnatal day (P) 7 to 12 and were treated with the polyamine oxidase inhibitor MDL 72527 or vehicle starting at P6. Mice were sacrificed after different durations of hyperoxia and their retinas were analyzed to determine the effects on vascular injury, microglial cell activation, and inflammatory cytokine profiling. The results of this analysis showed that MDL 72527 treatment significantly reduced hyperoxia-induced retinal vascular injury and enhanced vascular sprouting as compared with the vehicle controls. These protective effects were correlated with significant decreases in microglial activation as well as levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In order to model the effects of polyamine oxidation in causing microglial activation in vitro, studies were performed using rat brain microvascular endothelial cells treated with conditioned-medium from rat retinal microglia stimulated with hydrogen peroxide. Conditioned-medium from activated microglial cultures induced cell stress signals and cell death in microvascular endothelial cells. These studies demonstrate the involvement of polyamine oxidases in hyperoxia-induced retinal vascular injury and retinal inflammation in ischemic retinopathy, through mechanisms involving cross-talk between endothelial cells and resident retinal microglia. PMID:27239699

  18. Polyamine analogue antidiarrheals: a structure-activity study.

    PubMed

    Bergeron, R J; Wiegand, J; McManis, J S; Weimar, W R; Smith, R E; Algee, S E; Fannin, T L; Slusher, M A; Snyder, P S

    2001-01-18

    The syntheses of a group of spermine polyamine analogues and their evaluation as antidiarrheals are described. Each compound was assessed in a rodent castor oil-induced diarrhea model for its ability to reduce stool output and weight loss in a dose-dependent manner. The spermine pharmacophore is shown to be an excellent platform from which to construct antidiarrheals. The activity of the compounds is very dependent on both the nature of the terminal alkyl groups and the geometry of the methylene spacers separating the nitrogens. The toxicity profile is also quite dependent on these same structural features. On the basis of subcutaneous dose-response data and toxicity profiles, two compounds, N(1),N(12)-diisopropylspermine and N(1),N(12)-diethylspermine, were taken forward into more complete evaluation. These measurements included formal acute and chronic toxicity trials, drug and metabolic tissue distribution studies, and assessment of the impact of these analogues on tissue polyamine pools. Finally, the remarkable activity of N,N'-bis[3-(ethylamino)propyl]-trans-1,4-cyclohexanediamine underscores the need to further explore this framework as a pharmacophore for the construction of other antidiarrheal agents.

  19. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) mixture toxicity to the macrophytes Myriophyllum spicatum and Myriophyllum sibiricum in aquatic microcosms.

    PubMed

    Hanson, Mark L; Sibley, Paul K; Mabury, Scott A; Solomon, Keith R; Muir, Derek C G

    2002-02-21

    Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) have been detected together in environmental water samples throughout the world. TCA may enter into aquatic systems via rainout as the degradation product of chlorinated solvents, herbicide use, as a by-product of water disinfection and from emissions of spent bleach liquor of kraft pulp mills. Sources of TFA include degradation of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) refrigerants and pesticides. These substances are phytotoxic and widely distributed in aquatic environments. A study to assess the risk of a binary mixture of TCA and TFA to macrophytes in aquatic microcosms was conducted as part of a larger study on haloacetic acids. M. spicatum and M. sibiricum were exposed to 0.1, 1, 3 and 10 mg/l of both TCA and TFA (neutralized with sodium hydroxide) in replicate (n = 3) 12000 l aquatic microcosms for 49 days in an one-way analysis of variance design. Each microcosm was stocked with 14 individual apical shoots per species. The plants were sampled at regular intervals and assessed for the somatic endpoints of plant length, root growth, number of nodes and wet and dry mass and the biochemical endpoints of chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, carotenoid content and citric acid levels. Results indicate that there were statistically significant effects of the TCA/TFA mixture on certain pigment concentrations immediately after the start of exposure (2-7 days), but the plants showed no signs of stress thereafter. These data suggest that TCA/TFA mixtures at environmentally relevant concentrations do not pose a significant risk to these aquatic macrophytes.

  20. A rapid and reliable procedure for extraction of cellular polyamines and inorganic ions from plant tissues

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Walter C. Shortle; Stephanie L. Long; Subhash C. Minocha

    1994-01-01

    A fast and reliable method for the extraction of cellular polyamines and major inorganic ions (Ca, Mg, Mn, K, and P) from several plant tissues is described. The method involves repeated freezing and thawing of samples instead of homogenization. The efficiency of extraction of both the polyamines and inorganic ions by these two methods was compared for 10 different...

  1. Preparation of lactic acid bacteria fermented wheat-yoghurt mixtures.

    PubMed

    Magala, Michal; Kohajdová, Zlatica; Karovičová, Jolana

    2013-01-01

    Tarhana, a wheat-yoghurt fermented mixture, is considered as a good source of saccharides, proteins, some vitamins and minerals. Moreover, their preparation is inexpensive and lactic acid fermentation offers benefits like product preservation, enhancement of nutritive value and sensory properties improvement. The aim of this work was to evaluate changes of some chemical parameters during fermentation of tarhana, when the level of salt and amount of yoghurt used were varied. Some functional and sensory characteristics of the fi nal product were also determined. Chemical analysis included determination of pH, titrable acidity, content of reducing saccharides, lactic, acetic and citric acid. Measured functional properties of tarhana powder were foaming capacity, foam stability, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity and emulsifying activity. Tarhana soups samples were evaluated for their sensory characteristics (colour, odor, taste, consistency and overall acceptability). Fermentation of tarhana by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts led to decrease in pH, content of reducing saccharides and citric acid, while titrable acidity and concentration of lactic and acetic acid increased. Determination of functional properties of tarhana powder showed, that salt absence and increased amount of yoghurt in tarhana recipe reduced foaming capacity and oil absorption capacity, whereas foam stability and water absorption capacity were improved. Sensory evaluation of tarhana soups showed that variations in tarhana recipe adversly affected sensory parameters of fi nal products. Variations in tarhana recipe (salt absence, increased proportion of yoghurt) led to changes in some chemical parameters (pH, titrable acidity, reducing saccharides, content of lactic, acetic and citric acid). Functional properties were also affected with changed tarhana recipe. Sensory characteristics determination showed, that standard tarhana fermented for 144 h had the highest overall acceptability.

  2. Effect of inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis on gibberellin-induced internode growth in light-grown dwarf peas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kaur-Sawhney, R.; Dai, Y. R.; Galston, A. W.

    1986-01-01

    When gibberellic acid (GA3) is sprayed on 9-day-old light-brown dwarf Progress pea (Pisum sativum) seedlings, arginine decarboxylase (ADC; EC 4.1.1.9) activity increases within 3 h and peaks at about 9 h after GA3 application. This is followed by a second lower peak at about 30 h; both peaks were higher than the corresponding peaks in the controls. In contrast, no appreciable effect of GA3 on internode length was observed until about 12 h, after which time a dramatic increase in growth rate occurred and persisted for about 12 h. Specific (DL-alpha-difluoromethylarginine) and non-specific (D-arginine and L-canavanine) inhibitors of ADC strongly inhibited ADC activity and to a lesser extent internode growth. The inhibition was reversed only slightly by the addition of polyamines. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide inhibited the rise in ADC activity induced by GA3. The half-life of the enzyme was increased by GA3 treatment. The results suggest that part of the GA3-induced increase in internode growth may result from enhanced polyamine biosynthesis through the ADC pathway. Furthermore, the GA3 induced increase in ADC activity probably requires de novo synthesis of both RNA and protein.

  3. Polyamine metabolism in ripening tomato fruit. II. Polyamine metabolism and synthesis in relation to enhanced putrescine content and storage life of alc tomato fruit

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rastogi, R.; Davies, P.J.

    1991-01-01

    The fruit of the Alcobaca landrace of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) have prolonged keeping qualities (determined by the allele alc) and contain three times as much putrescine as the standard Rutgers variety (Alc) at the ripe stage. Polyamine metabolism and biosynthesis were compared in fruit from Rutgers and Rutgers-alc-a near isogenic line possessing the allele alc, at four different stages of ripening. The levels of soluble polyamine conjugates as well as wall bound polyamines in the pericarp tissue and jelly were very low or nondetectable in both genotypes. The increase in putrescine content in alc pericarp is not related tomore » normal ripening as it occurred with time and whether or not the fruit ripened. Pericarp discs of both normal and alc fruit showed a decrease in the metabolism of (1,4-{sup 14}C)putrescine and (terminal labeled-{sup 3}H)spermidine with ripening, but there were no significant differences between the two genotypes. The activity of ornithine decarboxylase was similar in the fruit pericarp of the two lines. Arginine decarboxylase activity decreased during ripening in Rutgers but decreased and rose again in Rutgers-alc fruit, and as a result it was significantly higher in alc fruit than in the normal fruit at the ripe stage. The elevated putrescine levels in alc fruit appear, therefore, to be due to an increase in the activity of arginine decarboxylase.« less

  4. The arabidopsis polyamine transporter LHRI/AtPUT3 modulates heat responsive gene expression by regulating mRNA stability

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polyamines (PA) involve in the gene regulation by interacting with various anionic macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins and modulating their structure and function. Previous studies have showed that changing in polyamine biosynthesis alters plant response to different abiotic stresses. Here,...

  5. Polyamines in the Context of Metabolic Networks.

    PubMed

    Wuddineh, Wegi; Minocha, Rakesh; Minocha, Subhash C

    2018-01-01

    Polyamines (PAs) are essential biomolecules that are known to be involved in the regulation of many plant developmental and growth processes as well as their response to different environmental stimuli. Maintaining the cellular pools of PAs or their metabolic precursors and by-products is critical to accomplish their normal functions. Therefore, the titre of PAs in the cells must be under tight regulation to enable cellular PA homeostasis. Polyamine homeostasis is hence achieved by the regulation of their input into the cellular PA pool, their conversion into secondary metabolites, their transport to other issues/organs, and their catabolism or turnover. The major contributors of input to the PA pools are their in vivo biosynthesis, interconversion between different PAs, and transport from other tissues/organs; while the output or turnover of PAs is facilitated by transport, conjugation and catabolism. Polyamine metabolic pathways including the biosynthesis, catabolism/turnover and conjugation with various organic molecules have been widely studied in all kingdoms. Discoveries on the molecular transporters facilitating the intracellular and intercellular translocation of PAs have also been reported. Numerous recent studies using transgenic approaches and mutagenesis have shown that plants can tolerate quite large concentrations of PAs in the cells; even though, at times, high cellular accumulation of PAs is quite detrimental, and so is high rate of catabolism. The mechanism by which plants tolerate such large quantities of PAs is still unclear. Interestingly, enhanced PA biosynthesis via manipulation of the PA metabolic networks has been suggested to contribute directly to increased growth and improvements in plant abiotic and biotic stress responses; hence greater biomass and productivity. Genetic manipulation of the PA metabolic networks has also been shown to improve plant nitrogen assimilation capacity, which may in turn lead to enhanced carbon assimilation

  6. Universal nucleic acids sample preparation method for cells, spores and their mixture

    DOEpatents

    Bavykin, Sergei [Darien, IL

    2011-01-18

    The present invention relates to a method for extracting nucleic acids from biological samples. More specifically the invention relates to a universal method for extracting nucleic acids from unidentified biological samples. An advantage of the presently invented method is its ability to effectively and efficiently extract nucleic acids from a variety of different cell types including but not limited to prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells and/or recalcitrant organisms (i.e. spores). Unlike prior art methods which are focused on extracting nucleic acids from vegetative cell or spores, the present invention effectively extracts nucleic acids from spores, multiple cell types or mixtures thereof using a single method. Important that the invented method has demonstrated an ability to extract nucleic acids from spores and vegetative bacterial cells with similar levels effectiveness. The invented method employs a multi-step protocol which erodes the cell structure of the biological sample, isolates, labels, fragments nucleic acids and purifies labeled samples from the excess of dye.

  7. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of the photodegradation of naphthenic acids mixtures irradiated with titanium dioxide.

    PubMed

    Headley, John V; Du, Jing-Long; Peru, Kerry M; McMartin, Dena W

    2009-05-01

    Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to study the photodegradation of an oil sands naphthenic acid (NA) mixture, a commercial Fluka NA mixture and a candidate NA, 4-Methyl-cyclohexaneaceticic acid (4-MCHAA) irradiated with TiO(2) (P25) suspension under both fluorescent and natural sunlight. Under natural sunlight irradiation over the TiO(2) suspension, approximately 75% of compounds in the NA mixtures and 100% of 4-MCHAA were degraded in 8 h. No degradation was observed under dark conditions, regardless of the presence or absence of TiO(2). The structural formula of the NAs is given by C(n)H(2n + z)O(2), where n represents the carbon number and z specifies a homologous family with 0-6 rings (z = 0 to -12). The degree of degradation was noted to vary among the NA mixtures and the candidate NA compound with more efficient degradation achieved for molecules with -z values from 0 to 6. The difference in the efficacy of the photocatalysis was likely due to the structure and size of the compounds. In the case of -z = 6 to 12, steric constraints are a key factor what hinders photocatalysis.

  8. Effects of stress temperatures of germination on polyamine titers of soybean seeds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pineda-Mejia, Renan

    High and low stress temperatures during seed germination and seedling development limit total germination and the rate of germination and growth. Changes in polyamine (PA) concentrations in seeds of different species have been associated with germination, growth and environmental stresses such as temperature, drought, oxygen, chilling injury and osmotic conditions. Two studies were conducted to determine the effect of stress temperatures during germination and seedling development on polyamine titers in soybean seeds. Three germination temperatures, 25, 30, and 36°C were used in the first study to evaluate their influence on changes in polyamine concentrations in soybean seeds germinated at 76 and 90 hours. The polyamines (PAs), cadaverine (Cad), putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), agmatine (Agm), and spermine (Spin) were quantified by HPLC using a cation exchange column and an electrochemical detector. Cad, Put, Agm, and Spd declined as the germination temperatures increased from 25 to 36°C. Conversely, Spin increased considerably with an increase in temperature. Total germination was reduced from 97.2 to 92.5% as germination temperatures increased from 25 to 36°C. Germination time did not affect Cad, Agm and Spm, and total germination, however, the interaction between temperature and germination time for Put and Spd concentrations was significant. In the second study, changes in PA concentrations, seedling growth, germination time (t50), fresh and dry weight, and moisture content were measured in the embryonic axis and cotyledons of soybean seeds germinated at 10 and 25°C through six stages of germination dry seed (DS), testa split (TS), radicle at 10 mm (Ra-10), root hairs visible (RHV), secondary root primordia (SRP), and complete seedling (CS). The concentrations of Cad and Put in the embryonic axis, were significantly higher in seeds germinated under low temperature than in seeds at 25°C (approximately 10 and 3 fold respectively). However, this

  9. Self-immolative nanoparticles for simultaneous delivery of microRNA and targeting of polyamine metabolism in combination cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Xie, Ying; Murray-Stewart, Tracy; Wang, Yazhe; Yu, Fei; Li, Jing; Marton, Laurence J; Casero, Robert A; Oupický, David

    2017-01-28

    Combination of anticancer drugs with therapeutic microRNA (miRNA) has emerged as a promising anticancer strategy. However, the promise is hampered by a lack of desirable delivery systems. We report on the development of self-immolative nanoparticles capable of simultaneously delivering miR-34a mimic and targeting dysregulated polyamine metabolism in cancer. The nanoparticles were prepared from a biodegradable polycationic prodrug, named DSS-BEN, which was synthesized from a polyamine analog N 1 ,N 11 -bisethylnorspermine (BENSpm). The nanoparticles were selectively disassembled in the cytoplasm where they released miRNA. Glutathione (GSH)-induced degradation of self-immolative linkers released BENSpm from the DSS-BEN polymers. MiR-34a mimic was effectively delivered to cancer cells as evidenced by upregulation of intracellular miR-34a and downregulation of Bcl-2 as one of the downstream targets of miR-34a. Intracellular BENSpm generated from the degraded nanoparticles induced the expression of rate-limiting enzymes in polyamine catabolism (SMOX, SSAT) and depleted cellular natural polyamines. Simultaneous regulation of polyamine metabolism and miR-34a expression by DSS-BEN/miR-34a not only enhanced cancer cell killing in cultured human colon cancer cells, but also improved antitumor activity in vivo. The reported findings validate the self-immolative nanoparticles as delivery vectors of therapeutic miRNA capable of simultaneously targeting dysregulated polyamine metabolism in cancer, thereby providing an elegant and efficient approach to combination nanomedicines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The Arabidopsis polyamine transporter LHR1/PUT3 modulates heat responsive gene expression by enhancing mRNA stability.

    PubMed

    Shen, Yun; Ruan, Qingxia; Chai, Haoxi; Yuan, Yongze; Yang, Wannian; Chen, Junping; Xin, Zhanguo; Shi, Huazhong

    2016-12-01

    Polyamines involve in gene regulation by interacting with and modulating the functions of various anionic macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins. In this study, we identified an important function of the polyamine transporter LHR1 (LOWER EXPRESSION OF HEAT RESPONSIVE GENE1) in heat-inducible gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. The lhr1 mutant was isolated through a forward genetic screening for altered expression of the luciferase reporter gene driven by the promoter from the heat-inducible gene AtHSP18.2. The lhr1 mutant showed reduced induction of the luciferase gene in response to heat stress and was more sensitive to high temperature than the wild type. Map-based cloning identified that the LHR1 gene encodes the polyamine transporter PUT3 (POLYAMINE UPTAKE TRANSPORTER 3) localized in the plasma membrane. The LHR1/PUT3 is required for the uptake of extracellular polyamines and plays an important role in stabilizing the mRNAs of several crucial heat stress responsive genes under high temperature. Genome-wide gene expression analysis using RNA-seq identified an array of differentially expressed genes, among which the transcript levels of some of the heat shock protein genes significantly reduced in response to prolonged heat stress in the lhr1 mutant. Our findings revealed an important heat stress response and tolerance mechanism involving polyamine influx which modulates mRNA stability of heat-inducible genes under heat stress conditions. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and agmatinase (AGMAT): an alternative pathway for synthesis of polyamines in pig conceptuses and uteri

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Arginine, a precursor for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and polyamines, is critical for implantation and development of the conceptus. We first reported that the arginine decarboxylase (ADC)/agmatinase(AGMAT) pathway as an alternative pathway for synthesis of polyamines in the ovine conceptuses...

  12. Study of thermodynamic and acoustic behaviour of nicotinic acid in binary aqueous mixtures of D-lactose

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Ravi; Thakur, R. C.

    2017-07-01

    In the present study, the thermodynamic properties such as partial molar volumes, partial molar expansibilities, partial molar compressibilities, partial molar heat capacities and isobaric thermal expansion coefficient of different solutions of nicotinic acid in binary aqueous mixtures of D-lactose have been determined at different temperatures (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15) K. Masson's equation is used to interpret the data in terms of solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions. In the present study it has been found that nicotinic acid behaves as structure maker in aqueous and binary aqueous mixtures of D-lactose.

  13. S-Adenosylmethionine metabolism and its relation to polyamine synthesis in rat liver. Effect of nutritional state, adrenal function, some drugs and partial hepatectomy

    PubMed Central

    Eloranta, Terho O.; Raina, Aarne M.

    1977-01-01

    S-Adenosylmethionine metabolism and its relation to the synthesis and accumulation of polyamines was studied in rat liver under various nutritional conditions, in adrenalectomized or partially hepatectomized animals and after treatment with cortisol, thioacetamide or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) {1,1′-[(methylethanediylidine)dinitrilo]diguanidine}. Starvation for 2 days only slightly affected S-adenosylmethionine metabolism. The ratio of spermidine/spermine decreased markedly, but the concentration of total polyamines did not change significantly. The activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase initially decreased and then increased during prolonged starvation. This increase was dependent on intact adrenals. Re-feeding of starved animals caused a rapid but transient stimulation of polyamine synthesis and also increased the concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine. Similarly, cortisol treatment enhanced the synthesis of polyamines, S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine. Feeding with a methionine-deficient diet for 7–14 days profoundly increased the concentration of spermidine, whereas the concentrations of total polyamines and of S-adenosylmethionine showed no significant changes. The results show that nutritional state and adrenal function play a significant role in the regulation of hepatic metabolism of S-adenosylmethionine and polyamines. They further indicate that under a variety of physiological and experimental conditions the concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine and of total polyamines remain fairly constant and that changes in polyamine metabolism are not primarily connected with changes in the accumulation of S-adenosylmethionine or S-adenosylhomocysteine. PMID:597268

  14. Exploring polyamine metabolism of Alternaria alternata to target new substances to control the fungal infection.

    PubMed

    Estiarte, N; Crespo-Sempere, A; Marín, S; Sanchis, V; Ramos, A J

    2017-08-01

    Polyamines are essential for all living organisms as they are involved in several vital cell functions. The biosynthetic pathway of polyamines and its regulation is well established and, in this sense, the ornithine descarboxylase (ODC) enzyme acts as one of the controlling factors of the entire pathway. In this work we assessed the inhibition of the ODC with D, l-α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) on Alternaria alternata and we observed that fungal growth and mycotoxin production were reduced. This inhibition was not completely restored by the addition of exogenous putrescine. Actually, increasing concentrations of putrescine on the growth media negatively affected mycotoxin production, which was corroborated by the downregulation of pksJ and altR, both genes involved in mycotoxin biosynthesis. We also studied the polyamine metabolism of A. alternata with the goal of finding new targets that compromise its growth and its mycotoxin production capacity. In this sense, we tested two different polyamine analogs, AMXT-2455 and AMXT-3016, and we observed that they partially controlled A. alternata's viability in vitro and in vivo using tomato plants. Finding strategies to design new fungicide substances is becoming a matter of interest as resistance problems are emerging. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Activities of dl-α-Difluoromethylarginine and Polyamine Analogues against Cryptosporidium parvum Infection in a T-Cell Receptor Alpha-Deficient Mouse Model▿

    PubMed Central

    Yarlett, Nigel; Waters, W. Ray; Harp, James A.; Wannemuehler, Michael J.; Morada, Mary; Bellcastro, Josephine; Upton, Steve J.; Marton, Laurence J.; Frydman, Benjamin J.

    2007-01-01

    The in vivo effectiveness of a series of conformationally restricted polyamine analogues alone and selected members in combination with dl-α-difluoromethylarginine against Cryptosporidium parvum infection in a T-cell receptor alpha-deficient mouse model was tested. Polyamine analogues were selected from the extended bis(ethyl)-sym-homospermidine or bis(ethyl)-spermine backbone having cis or trans double bonds at the center of the molecule. The cis isomers were found to have significantly greater efficacy in both preventing and curing infection in a mouse model than the trans polyamine analogues when tested in a T-cell receptor alpha-deficient mouse model. When tested in combination with dl-α-difluoromethylarginine, the cis-restricted analogues were found to be more effective in preventing oocyst shedding. This study demonstrates the potential of polyamine analogues as anticryptosporidial agents and highlights the presence of multiple points in polyamine synthesis by this parasite that are susceptible to inhibition resulting in growth inhibition. PMID:17242149

  16. Structure-Activity Relationships of Antimicrobial and Lipoteichoic Acid-Sequestering Properties in Polyamine Sulfonamides ▿

    PubMed Central

    Warshakoon, Hemamali J.; Burns, Mark R.; David, Sunil A.

    2009-01-01

    We have recently confirmed that lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a major constituent of the gram-positive bacterial surface, is the endotoxin of gram-positive bacteria that induces proinflammatory molecules in a Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-dependent manner. LTA is an anionic amphipath whose physicochemical properties are similar to those of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is found on the outer leaflet of the outer membranes of gram-negative organisms. Hypothesizing that compounds that sequester LPS could also bind to and inhibit LTA-induced cellular activation, we screened congeneric series of polyamine sulfonamides which we had previously shown effectively neutralized LPS both in vitro and in animal models of endotoxemia. We observed that these compounds do bind to and neutralize LTA, as reflected by the inhibition of TLR2-mediated NF-κB induction in reporter gene assays. Structure-activity studies showed a clear dependence of the acyl chain length on activity against LTA in compounds with spermine and homospermine scaffolds. We then sought to examine possible correlations between the neutralizing potency toward LTA and antimicrobial activity in Staphylococcus aureus. A linear relationship between LTA sequestration activity and antimicrobial activity for compounds with a spermine backbone was observed, while all compounds with a homospermine backbone were equally active against S. aureus, regardless of their neutralizing potency toward LTA. These results suggest that the number of protonatable charges is a key determinant of the activity toward the membranes of gram-positive bacteria. The development of resistance to membrane-active antibiotics has been relatively slower than that to conventional antibiotics, and it is possible that compounds such as the acylpolyamines may be useful clinically, provided that they have an acceptable safety profile and margin of safety. A more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of interactions of these compounds with LPS and LTA, as

  17. Effect of MeJA treatment on polyamine, energy status and anthracnose rot of loquat fruit.

    PubMed

    Cao, Shifeng; Cai, Yuting; Yang, Zhenfeng; Joyce, Daryl C; Zheng, Yonghua

    2014-02-15

    The effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on changes in polyamines content and energy status and their relation to disease resistance was investigated. Freshly harvested loquat fruit were treated with 10 μmol l(-1) MeJA and wound inoculated with Colletotrichum acutatum spore suspension (1.0 × 10(5) spores ml(-1)) after 24h, and then stored at 20 °C for 6 days. MeJA treatment significantly reduced decay incidence. MeJA treated fruit manifested higher contents of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) compared with the control fruit, during storage. MeJA treatment also maintained higher levels of adenosine triphosphate, and suppressed an increase in adenosine monophosphate content in loquat fruit. These results suggest that MeJA treatment may inhibit anthracnose rot by increasing polyamine content and maintaining the energy status. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. A concise entry into nonsymmetrical alkyl polyamines.

    PubMed

    Pirali, Tracey; Callipari, Grazia; Ercolano, Emanuela; Genazzani, Armando A; Giovenzana, Giovanni Battista; Tron, Gian Cesare

    2008-10-02

    The synthesis of nonsymmetrical polyamines (PAs) has, up to now, been problematic due to lengthy synthetic procedures, lack of regioselectivity, and very poor atom economy. An innovative synthetic protocol for nonsymmetrical PAs using a modified Ugi reaction ( N-split Ugi) which simplifies the synthesis of these tricky compounds is described. We believe that this new synthesis may open the door for the generation of new and pharmacologically active PAs.

  19. Polyamine analog TBP inhibits proliferation of human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells by induced apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    WANG, QING; WANG, YAN-LIN; WANG, KAI; YANG, JIAN-LIN; CAO, CHUN-YU

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the novel polyamine analog tetrabutyl propanediamine (TBP) on the growth of K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells and the underlying mechanism of these effects. MTT was used for the analysis of cell proliferation and flow cytometry was performed to analyze cell cycle distribution. DNA fragmentation analysis and Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining were used to identify apoptotic cells. The activity of the key enzymes in polyamine catabolism was detected using chemiluminescence. TBP can induce apoptosis and significantly inhibit K562 cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. TBP treatment significantly induced the enzyme activity of spermine oxidase and acetylpolyamine oxidase in K562 cells, and also enhanced the inhibitory effect of the antitumor drug doxorubicin on K562 cell proliferation. As a novel polyamine analog, TBP significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in K562 cells by upregulating the activity of the key enzymes in the polyamine catabolic pathways. TBP also increased the sensitivity of the K562 cells to the antitumor drug doxorubicin. These data indicate an important potential value of TBP for clinical therapy of human CML. PMID:25435975

  20. Regulation of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase in L6 cells by polyamines and related compounds.

    PubMed Central

    Erwin, B G; Pegg, A E

    1986-01-01

    Exposure of rat L6 cells in culture to exogenous polyamines led to a very large increase in the activity of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase. Spermine was more potent than spermidine in bringing about this increase, but in both cases the elevated acetyltransferase activity increased the cellular conversion of spermidine into putrescine. The N1-acetyltransferase turned over very rapidly in the L6 cells, with a half-life of 9 min after spermidine and 18 min after spermine. A wide variety of synthetic polyamine analogues also brought about a substantial induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase activity. These included sym-norspermidine, sym-norspermine, sym-homospermidine, N4-substituted spermidine derivatives, 1,3,6-triaminohexane, 1,4,7-triaminoheptane and deoxyspergualin, which were comparable with spermidine in their potency, and N1N8-bis(ethyl)spermidine, N1N9-bis(ethyl)homospermidine, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and 1,1'-[(methylethanediylidene)dinitrilo]bis(3-amino-guanidine ), which were even more active than spermidine. It is suggested that these polyamine analogues may bring about a decrease in cellular polyamines not only by inhibiting biosynthesis but by stimulating the degradation of spermidine into putrescine. PMID:3800951

  1. Ornithine Decarboxylase, Polyamines, and Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Senecio and Crotalaria

    PubMed Central

    Birecka, Helena; Birecki, Mieczyslaw; Cohen, Eric J.; Bitonti, Alan J.; McCann, Peter P.

    1988-01-01

    When tested for ornithine and arginine decarboxylases, pyrrolizidine alkaloid-bearing Senecio riddellii, S. longilobus (Compositae), and Crotalaria retusa (Leguminosae) plants exhibited only ornithine decarboxylase activity. This contrasts with previous studies of four species of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-bearing Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) in which arginine decarboxylase activity was very high relative to that of ornithine decarboxylase. Unlike Heliotropium angiospermum and Heliotropium indicum, in which endogenous arginine was the only detectable precursor of putrescine channeled into pyrrolizidines, in the species studied here—using difluoromethylornithine and difluoromethylarginine as the enzyme inhibitors—endogenous ornithine was the main if not the only precursor of putrescine converted into the alkaloid aminoalcohol moiety. In S. riddellii and C. retusa at flowering, ornithine decarboxylase activity was present mainly in leaves, especially the young ones. However, other very young organs such as inflorescence and growing roots exhibited much lower or very low activities; the enzyme activity in stems was negligible. There was no correlation between the enzyme activity and polyamine or alkaloid content in either species. In both species only free polyamines were detected except for C. retusa roots and inflorescence—with relatively very high levels of these compounds—in which conjugated putrescine, spermidine, and spermine were also found; agmatine was not identified by HPLC in any plant organ except for C. retusa roots with rhizobial nodules. Organ- or age-dependent differences in the polyamine levels were small or insignificant. The highest alkaloid contents were found in young leaves and inflorescence. PMID:16665870

  2. Ornithine decarboxylase, polyamines, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids in senecio and crotalaria.

    PubMed

    Birecka, H; Birecki, M; Cohen, E J; Bitonti, A J; McCann, P P

    1988-01-01

    When tested for ornithine and arginine decarboxylases, pyrrolizidine alkaloid-bearing Senecio riddellii, S. longilobus (Compositae), and Crotalaria retusa (Leguminosae) plants exhibited only ornithine decarboxylase activity. This contrasts with previous studies of four species of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-bearing Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) in which arginine decarboxylase activity was very high relative to that of ornithine decarboxylase. Unlike Heliotropium angiospermum and Heliotropium indicum, in which endogenous arginine was the only detectable precursor of putrescine channeled into pyrrolizidines, in the species studied here-using difluoromethylornithine and difluoromethylarginine as the enzyme inhibitors-endogenous ornithine was the main if not the only precursor of putrescine converted into the alkaloid aminoalcohol moiety. In S. riddellii and C. retusa at flowering, ornithine decarboxylase activity was present mainly in leaves, especially the young ones. However, other very young organs such as inflorescence and growing roots exhibited much lower or very low activities; the enzyme activity in stems was negligible. There was no correlation between the enzyme activity and polyamine or alkaloid content in either species. In both species only free polyamines were detected except for C. retusa roots and inflorescence-with relatively very high levels of these compounds-in which conjugated putrescine, spermidine, and spermine were also found; agmatine was not identified by HPLC in any plant organ except for C. retusa roots with rhizobial nodules. Organ- or age-dependent differences in the polyamine levels were small or insignificant. The highest alkaloid contents were found in young leaves and inflorescence.

  3. On the abiotic formation of amino acids. I - HCN as a precursor of amino acids detected in extracts of lunar samples. II - Formation of HCN and amino acids from simulated mixtures of gases released from lunar samples

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yuasa, S.; Flory, D.; Basile, B.; Oro, J.

    1984-01-01

    Two studies on the abiotic formation of amino acids are presented. The first study demonstrates the role of hydrogen cyanide as a precursor of amino acids detected in extracts of lunar samples. The formation of several amino acids, including glycine, alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid, under conditions similar to those used for the analysis of lunar samples is demonstrated. The second study investigates the formation of hydrogen cyanide as well as amino acids from lunar-sample gas mixtures under electrical discharge conditions. These results extend the possibility of synthesis of amino acids to planetary bodies with primordial atmospheres less reducing than a mixture of methane, ammonia, hydrogen and water.

  4. Liquid chromatography method to determine polyamines in thermosetting polymers.

    PubMed

    Dopico-García, M S; López-Vilariño, J M; Fernández-Martínez, G; González-Rodríguez, M V

    2010-05-14

    A simple, robust and sensitive analytical method to determine three polyamines commonly used as hardeners in epoxy resin systems and in the manufacture of polyurethane is reported. The studied polyamines are: one tetramine, TETA (triethylenetetramine), and two diamines, IPDA (Isophorone diamine) and TCD-diamine (4,7-methano-1H-indene-5,?-dimethanamine, octahydro-). The latter has an incompletely defined structure, and, as far as we know, has not been previously determined by other methods. All three polyamines contain primary amines; TETA also contains secondary amines. The analytical method involves derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate, used for the first time for these compounds, followed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with a fluorescence (FL) detector (lambda excitation 248nm, lambda emision 395nm). The HPLC-DAD-LTQ Orbitrap MS was used in order to provide structural information about the obtained derivatized compounds. The hybrid linear ion trap LTQ Orbitrap mass spectrometer has been introduced in recent years and provides a high mass accuracy. The structures of the derivatized analytes were identified from the protonated molecular ions [M+H](+) and corresponded to the fully labelled analytes. The following analytical parameters were determined for the method using the HPLC-FL: linearity, precision (2.5-10%), instrumental precision intraday (0.8-1.5%) and interday (2.9-6.3%), and detection limits (0.02-0.14mgL(-1)). The stability of stock solutions and derivatized compounds was also investigated. The method was applied to determine the amine free content in epoxy resin dust collected in workplaces. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. The role of the polyamine catabolic enzymes SSAT and SMO in the synergistic effects of standard chemotherapeutic agents with a polyamine analogue in human breast cancer cell lines

    PubMed Central

    Pledgie-Tracy, Allison; Billam, Madhavi; Hacker, Amy; Sobolewski, Michele D; Woster, Patrick M.; Zhang, Zhe; Casero, Robert A.; Davidson, Nancy E

    2009-01-01

    Polyamine analogues have demonstrated significant activity against human breast cancer cell lines as single agents as well as in combination with other cytotoxic drugs. This study evaluates the ability of a polyamine analogue N1, N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine (BENSpm) to synergize with six standard chemotherapeutic agents, 5-fluorouracil (FU), fluorodeoxyuridine, cis- diaminechloroplatinum(II) (DDP), paclitaxel, docetaxel, and vinorelbine, in four human breast cancer cell lines and one immortalized, non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cell line. BENSpm exhibited synergistic inhibitory effect on cell proliferation in combination with 5-FU or paclitaxel in human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and either antagonistic or less effective in the non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cell line. Synergism was highest with 120 hour concomitant treatment or pre-treatment with BENSpm for 24 hours followed by concomitant treatment for 96 additional hours. Since the cytotoxic effects of many polyamine analogues and cytotoxic agents are believed to act, in part, through induction of the polyamine catabolic enzymes SSAT and SMO, the role of these enzymes on synergistic response was evaluated in MDA-MB-231- and MCF-7-treated with BENSpm and 5-FU or paclitaxel. Combination treatments of BENSpm with 5-FU or paclitaxel resulted in induction of SSAT mRNA and activity in both cell lines compared to either drug alone, while SMO mRNA and activity were increased only in MDA-MB-231 cells. Induction was greater with BENSpm/paclitaxel combination than BENSpm/5-FU. Further, RNAi studies demonstrated that both SSAT and SMO play a significant role in the response of MDA-MB-231 cells to treatment with BENSpm and 5-FU or paclitaxel. In MCF-7 cells, only SSAT appears to be involved in the response to these treatments. In an effort to translate combination studies from in vitro to in vivo, and to form a basis for clinical setting, the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of BENSpm alone and in combination

  6. Developmental and polyamine metabolism alterations in Rhinella arenarum embryos exposed to the organophosphate chlorpyrifos.

    PubMed

    Sotomayor, Verónica; Lascano, Cecilia; de D'Angelo, Ana María Pechen; Venturino, Andrés

    2012-09-01

    Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widely applied in the Alto Valle of Río Negro and Neuquén, Argentina, due to intensive fruit growing. Amphibians are particularly sensitive to environmental pollution, and OPs may transiently accumulate in ponds and channels of the region during their reproductive season. Organophosphorus pesticide exposure may alter amphibian embryonic development and the reproductive success of autochthonous species. In the present study, embryos of the common toad Rhinella arenarum were employed to assess developmental alterations and to study polyamine metabolism, which is essential to normal growth, as a possible target underlying the effects of the OP chlorpyrifos. As the duration of chlorpyrifos exposure increased and embryonic development progressed, the median lethal concentration (LC50) values decreased, and the percentage of malformed embryos increased. Developmental arrest was also observed and several morphological alterations were recorded, such as incomplete and abnormal closure of the neural tube, dorsal curvature of the caudal fin, reduction of body size and caudal fin length, atrophy, and edema. An early decrease in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and polyamine levels was also observed in embryos exposed to chlorpyrifos. The decrease in polyamine contents in tail bud embryos might be a consequence of the reduction in ODC activity. The alteration of polyamine metabolism occurred before embryonic growth was interrupted and embryonic malformations were observed and may be useful as a biomarker in environmental studies. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

  7. Discovery of novel alkylated (bis)urea and (bis)thiourea polyamine analogues with potent antimalarial activities.

    PubMed

    Verlinden, Bianca K; Niemand, Jandeli; Snyman, Janette; Sharma, Shiv K; Beattie, Ross J; Woster, Patrick M; Birkholtz, Lyn-Marie

    2011-10-13

    A series of alkylated (bis)urea and (bis)thiourea polyamine analogues were synthesized and screened for antimalarial activity against chloroquine-sensitive and -resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. All analogues showed growth inhibitory activity against P. falciparum at less than 3 μM, with the majority having effective IC(50) values in the 100-650 nM range. Analogues arrested parasitic growth within 24 h of exposure due to a block in nuclear division and therefore asexual development. Moreover, this effect appears to be cytotoxic and highly selective to malaria parasites (>7000-fold lower IC(50) against P. falciparum) and is not reversible by the exogenous addition of polyamines. With this first report of potent antimalarial activity of polyamine analogues containing 3-7-3 or 3-6-3 carbon backbones and substituted terminal urea- or thiourea moieties, we propose that these compounds represent a structurally novel class of antimalarial agents.

  8. Treatment of acute decompensation of maple syrup urine disease in adult patients with a new parenteral amino-acid mixture.

    PubMed

    Servais, A; Arnoux, J B; Lamy, C; Hummel, A; Vittoz, N; Katerinis, I; Bazzaoui, V; Dubois, S; Broissand, C; Husson, M C; Berleur, M P; Rabier, D; Ottolenghi, C; Valayannopoulos, V; de Lonlay, P

    2013-11-01

    Acute decompensation of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is usually treated by enteral feeding with an amino-acid mixture without leucine (Leu), valine or isoleucine. However, its administration is ineffective in cases of gastric intolerance and some adult patients refuse enteral feeding via a nasogastric tube. We developed a new parenteral amino-acid mixture for patients with MSUD. Seventeen decompensation episodes in four adult patients with MSUD treated with a parenteral amino-acid mixture (group P) were compared to 18 previous episodes in the same patients treated by enteral feeding (group E). The mean Leu concentration at presentation was similar in the groups P and E (1196.9 μmol/L and 1212.2 μmol/L, respectively). The mean decrease in the Leu concentration during the first 3 days of hospitalisation was significantly higher in group P than group E (p = 0.0026); there were no side effects. The mean duration of hospitalisation was similar (4 vs. 4.5 days, p = NS). No patient in group P deteriorated whereas one patient in group E required dialysis. This new parenteral amino-acid mixture is safe and allows efficient Leu concentration decrease during acute MSUD decompensation episodes in adults. Its use avoids the need for nasogastric tube insertion.

  9. A Small Molecule Polyamine Oxidase Inhibitor Blocks Androgen-Induced Oxidative Stress and Delays Prostate Cancer Progression in the TRAMP Mouse Model

    PubMed Central

    Basu, Hirak S.; Thompson, Todd A.; Church, Dawn R.; Clower, Cynthia C.; Mehraein-Ghomi, Farideh; Amlong, Corey A.; Martin, Christopher T.; Woster, Patrick M.; Lindstrom, Mary J.; Wilding, George

    2009-01-01

    High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) present in human prostate epithelia are an important etiological factor in prostate cancer (CaP) occurrence, recurrence and progression. Androgen induces ROS production in the prostate by a yet unknown mechanism. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we report for the first time that androgen induces an overexpression of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT), the rate-limiting enzyme in the polyamine oxidation pathway. As prostatic epithelia produce a large excess of polyamines, the androgen-induced polyamine oxidation that produces H2O2 could be a major reason for the high ROS levels in the prostate epithelia. A small molecule polyamine oxidase inhibitor N,N'-butanedienyl butanediamine (MDL 72,527 or CPC-200) effectively blocks androgen-induced ROS production in human CaP cells as well as significantly delays CaP progression and death in animals developing spontaneous CaP. These data demonstrate that polyamine oxidation is not only a major pathway for ROS production in prostate, but inhibiting this pathway also successfully delays prostate cancer progression. PMID:19773450

  10. Exogenous Melatonin Improves Plant Iron Deficiency Tolerance via Increased Accumulation of Polyamine-Mediated Nitric Oxide.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Cheng; Liu, Zhi; Zhu, Lin; Ma, Zhongyou; Wang, Jianfei; Zhu, Jian

    2016-10-25

    Melatonin has recently been demonstrated to play important roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and abiotic and biotic stress responses. However, the possible involvement of melatonin in Fe deficiency responses and the underlying mechanisms remained elusive in Arabidopsis thaliana . In this study, Fe deficiency quickly induced melatonin synthesis in Arabidopsis plants. Exogenous melatonin significantly increased the soluble Fe content of shoots and roots, and decreased the levels of root cell wall Fe bound to pectin and hemicellulose, thus alleviating Fe deficiency-induced chlorosis. Intriguingly, melatonin treatments induced a significant increase of nitric oxide (NO) accumulation in roots of Fe-deficient plants, but not in those of polyamine-deficient ( adc2-1 and d-arginine-treated) plants. Moreover, the melatonin-alleviated leaf chlorosis was blocked in the polyamine- and NO-deficient ( nia1nia2noa1 and c-PTIO-treated) plants, and the melatonin-induced Fe remobilization was largely inhibited. In addition, the expression of some Fe acquisition-related genes, including FIT1 , FRO2 , and IRT1 were significantly up-regulated by melatonin treatments, whereas the enhanced expression of these genes was obviously suppressed in the polyamine- and NO-deficient plants. Collectively, our results provide evidence to support the view that melatonin can increase the tolerance of plants to Fe deficiency in a process dependent on the polyamine-induced NO production under Fe-deficient conditions.

  11. Tolerance and efficacy of a polyamine-deficient diet for the treatment of perioperative pain.

    PubMed

    Estebe, Jean-Pierre; Degryse, Cécile; Rezzadori, Gilles; Dimache, Florin; Daccache, Georges; Le Naoures, Alain; Belbachir, Anissa; Schoeffler, Pierre; Sérandour, Anne-Laure

    2017-04-01

    Polyamines have been identified as pain agonists and interact with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. A prospective, randomized, multicenter, and blinded phase II clinical trial was conducted to evaluate a polyamine-deficient diet for the treatment of perioperative pain in patients during spinal surgery. All analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle. The trial was designed to evaluate the dose-ranging effect of a low polyamine diet with respect to a total (group 1) or partial (group 2) polyamine diet on perioperative pain (7 d before and 5 d after surgery). Pain (numerical scale at rest and motion), quality of life questionnaires (Brief Pain Inventory, EIFEL questionnaire, and Short Form-12 acute questionnaire), and tolerance of and compliance with the nutritional program were measured. Compliance (preoperatively: 100% in group 1 and 83% in group 2; postoperatively: 83% in group 1 and 71% in group 2) and tolerance were good. After 7 d following the diet before surgery, decreased pain was observed in group 1 whereas no effect was observed in group 2 (P = 0.144). This analgesic effect became significant in group 1 in the subgroup of patients with initial high levels of pain (NS ≥ 4) at rest (P = 0.03) and during motion (P = 0.011). Quality of life was significantly improved in group 1 (P = 0.0465). In the postoperative period, pain was significantly decreased in group 1 compared to group 2 at rest (P = 0.022) and during motion (P = 0.029). The effect was significantly better on patients with higher initial pain both at rest (P = 0.013) and during motion (P = 0.005) in group 1 compared to group 2. Suppression of polyamines from the diet offers a nutrition-based treatment option for perioperative pain reduction independent of and complementary to typical analgesic approaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of polyamines on mechanical and structural properties of Bombyx mori silk.

    PubMed

    Yerra, Aparna; Mysarla, Danti Kumari; Siripurapu, Prasanthi; Jha, Anjali; Valluri, Satyavathi V; Mamillapalli, Anitha

    2017-01-01

    Silkworm, Bombyx mori (B. mori) belongs to the Lepidoptera family. The silk produced from this insect, mulberry silk, gained lot of importance as a fabric. Silk is being exploited as a biomaterial due to its surprising strength and biocompatibility. Polyamines (PA) are important cell growth regulators. In the present work the effect of treatment of polyamines, putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) on the quantity and quality of silk produced was assessed. Results showed that exogenous feeding of Spd at a concentration of 50 µM increased fiber length significantly. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) on the properties of silk obtained from Spd treated silkworms revealed an increase in percentage of absorption with no difference in peak positions of amide I and amide III groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed an increase in diameter of silk. Further, analysis at molecular level showed an increase in fibroin expression in Spd treated silk glands. However, the Spd treatment showed no significant difference with respect to fibroin to sericin ratio per unit weight of cocoon, silk tenacity, and percent elongation. Thus, the present results show that polyamine treatment would influence silk quality at structural, mechanical, and molecular level in the Bombyx mori, which can be exploited in silk biomaterial production. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Defining the role of polyamines in colon carcinogenesis using mouse models

    PubMed Central

    Ignatenko, Natalia A.; Gerner, Eugene W.; Besselsen, David G.

    2011-01-01

    Genetics and diet are both considered important risk determinants for colorectal cancer, a leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. Genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models have made a significant contribution to the characterization of colorectal cancer risk factors. Reliable, reproducible, and clinically relevant animal models help in the identification of the molecular events associated with disease progression and in the development of effictive treatment strategies. This review is focused on the use of mouse models for studying the role of polyamines in colon carcinogenesis. We describe how the available mouse models of colon cancer such as the multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mice and knockout genetic models facilitate understanding of the role of polyamines in colon carcinogenesis and help in the development of a rational strategy for colon cancer chemoprevention. PMID:21712957

  14. Wounding induces changes in tuber polyamine content, polyamine metabolic gene expression, and enzyme activity during closing layer formation and initiation of wound periderm formation

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tuber wound-healing processes are complex, and the associated regulation and modulation of these processes are poorly understood. Polyamines (PA) have been shown to be involved in modulating a variety of responses to biotic and abiotic plant stresses and have been suggested to be involved in tuber ...

  15. Central L-ornithine, but not polyamines, induces a hypnotic effect in neonatal chicks under acute stress.

    PubMed

    Kurauchi, Isao; Shigemi, Kazutaka; Kabuki, Yusuke; Hamasu, Kousuke; Yamane, Haruka; Aoki, Mami; Kawada, Yoko; Morishita, Koji; Denbow, D Michael; Furuse, Mitsuhiro

    2010-02-01

    To clarify whether L-ornithine and/or its metabolite involves sedative and hypnotic effects under social separation stress, the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of L-ornithine and polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) were compared in chicks. Birds were injected i.c.v. with 0.5 mumol of L-ornithine, putrescine, spermidine, spermine or saline (control). After injection, chicks were immediately separated from the flock and monitored for the number of distress vocalizations and various postures. L-Ornithine greatly attenuated the stress response and caused sedative and hypnotic effects. Among the polyamines, only putrescine attenuated distress vocalizations but did not induce sleep. In conclusion, the sedative and hypnotic effect of L-ornithine was mainly induced by L-ornithine itself, while the polyamines contributed to the sedative, but not hypnotic, effect under social separation stress.

  16. Suppression of the formation of polyamines and macromolecules by dl-α-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in phytohaemagglutinin-activated human lymphocytes

    PubMed Central

    Jänne, Juhani; Hovi, Tapani; Hölttä, Erkki

    1979-01-01

    1. The activation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by phytohaemagglutinin in vitro was accompanied by striking increases in the concentrations of the natural polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine. 2. The enhanced accumulation of polyamines could be almost totally abolished by dl-α-difluoromethylornithine, a newly discovered irreversible inhibitor of l-ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), or by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) {1,1′-[(methylethanediylidene)dinitrilo]diguanidine}, an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-l-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50). The inhibition of polyamine accumulation was associated with a marked suppression of DNA synthesis, which was partially or totally reversed by low concentrations of exogenous putrescine, spermidine, spermine and cadaverine and by higher concentrations of 1,3-diaminopropane. 3. In contrast with some earlier studies, we found that methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), at concentrations that were sufficient to prevent polyamine accumulation, also caused a clear inhibition of protein synthesis in the activated lymphocytes. Similar results were obtained with difluoromethylornithine. The decrease in protein synthesis caused by both compounds preceded the impairment of DNA synthesis. The inhibition of protein synthesis by difluoromethylornithine was fully reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine and spermine, and that caused by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) by spermidine and spermine. In further support of the idea that the inhibition of protein synthesis by these compounds was related to the polyamine depletion, we found that difluoromethylornithine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the incorporation of [14C]leucine into lymphocyte proteins which closely correlated with the decreased concentrations of cellular spermidine. 4. Difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) also elicited a variable depression in the incorporation of [3H]uridine and [14C]adenine into total RNA. The

  17. Suppression of the formation of polyamines and macromolecules by DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) in phytohaemagglutinin-activated human lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Hölttä, E; Jänne, J; Hovi, T

    1979-01-15

    1. The activation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by phytohaemagglutinin in vitro was accompanied by striking increases in the concentrations of the natural polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine. 2. The enhanced accumulation of polyamines could be almost totally abolished by dl-alpha-difluoromethylornithine, a newly discovered irreversible inhibitor of l-ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), or by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) {1,1'-[(methylethanediylidene)dinitrilo]diguanidine}, an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-l-methionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50). The inhibition of polyamine accumulation was associated with a marked suppression of DNA synthesis, which was partially or totally reversed by low concentrations of exogenous putrescine, spermidine, spermine and cadaverine and by higher concentrations of 1,3-diaminopropane. 3. In contrast with some earlier studies, we found that methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), at concentrations that were sufficient to prevent polyamine accumulation, also caused a clear inhibition of protein synthesis in the activated lymphocytes. Similar results were obtained with difluoromethylornithine. The decrease in protein synthesis caused by both compounds preceded the impairment of DNA synthesis. The inhibition of protein synthesis by difluoromethylornithine was fully reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine and spermine, and that caused by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) by spermidine and spermine. In further support of the idea that the inhibition of protein synthesis by these compounds was related to the polyamine depletion, we found that difluoromethylornithine caused a dose-dependent decrease in the incorporation of [(14)C]leucine into lymphocyte proteins which closely correlated with the decreased concentrations of cellular spermidine. 4. Difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) also elicited a variable depression in the incorporation of [(3)H]uridine and [(14)C]adenine into total RNA

  18. Changes in polyamine levels in various organs of Bombyx mori during its life cycle.

    PubMed

    Hamana, K; Matsuzaki, S; Inoue, K

    1984-06-01

    Polyamines in various organs of larval, pupal, and moth stages of Bombyx mori, were assayed by high-performance ion-exchange chromatography and paper and thin-layer chromatography. Putrescine and spermidine were especially abundant in the silk gland, gonads, mucous gland, and sucking stomach; spermine was also present in them, but at much lower concentrations. Both norspermidine and norspermine were detected in almost all organs examined, while their precursor 1,3-diaminopropane was found only in a limited number of organs. Low concentrations of sym-homospermidine were observed in the silk gland and ovary. Cadaverine content was particularly high in the mucous gland which contained diapause eggs and the sucking stomach. Diapause eggs contained much higher levels of cadaverine than non-diapause eggs. The concentrations of most polyamines in the silk glands remained rather constant during the larval stage, and decreased markedly at the pupal stage. Polyamines in gonads, in contrast, did not decrease at the pupal stage, but putrescine, diaminopropane, and norspermidine rather increased during the pupal and moth stages.

  19. Method for regenerating magnetic polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin

    DOEpatents

    Kochen, Robert L.; Navratil, James D.

    1997-07-29

    Magnetic polymer resins capable of efficient removal of actinides and heavy metals from contaminated water are disclosed together with methods for making, using, and regenerating them. The resins comprise polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin beads with ferrites attached to the surfaces of the beads. Markedly improved water decontamination is demonstrated using these magnetic polymer resins of the invention in the presence of a magnetic field, as compared with water decontamination methods employing ordinary ion exchange resins or ferrites taken separately.

  20. Effects of organic acid-surfactant mixtures on levels of bacteria and beef quality traits

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Introduction: Organic acid efficacy as an antimicrobial treatment of beef carcass surfaces may be increased through the addition of surfactants. However, the effects of antimicrobial-surfactant mixtures on beef quality traits such as flavor and color stability may make their use unacceptable. Purp...

  1. Combined Metabolomic and Genetic Approaches Reveal a Link between the Polyamine Pathway and Albumin 2 in Developing Pea Seeds1[W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Vigeolas, Helene; Chinoy, Catherine; Zuther, Ellen; Blessington, Bernard; Geigenberger, Peter; Domoney, Claire

    2008-01-01

    Several legume seed proteins that are potentially allergenic, poorly digested by farm animals, and/or have undesirable functional properties, have been described. One of these is the albumin protein in pea (Pisum sativum) called PA2. A naturally occurring mutant line that lacks PA2 has been exploited in studies to determine the biological function of this nonstorage protein in seed development. The mutant, which has a small seed, a tall plant phenotype, and lacks most of the PA2-encoding genes, has been crossed with a standard cultivar, ‘Birte,’ which contains PA2 to give rise to a recombinant inbred (RI) population. An F3 line carrying the mutation and having a short plant phenotype has been used to generate backcross (BC) lines with ‘Birte.’ Despite having a lower albumin content, seeds from the mutant parent and RI lines lacking PA2 have an equivalent or higher seed nitrogen content. Metabolite profiling of seeds revealed major differences in amino acid composition and polyamine content in the two parent lines. This was investigated further in BC lines, where the effects of differences in seed size and plant height between the two parents were eliminated. Here, differences in polyamine synthesis were maintained as was a difference in total seed protein between the BC line lacking PA2 and ‘Birte.’ Analysis of enzyme activities in the pathways of polyamine synthesis revealed that the differences in spermidine content were attributable to changes in the overall activities of spermidine synthase and arginine decarboxylase. Although the genes encoding spermidine synthase and PA2 both localized to the pea linkage group I, the two loci were shown not to be closely linked and to have recombined in the BC lines. A distinct locus on linkage group III contains a gene that is related to PA2 but expressed predominantly in flowers. The results provide evidence for a role of PA2 in regulating polyamine metabolism, which has important functions in development

  2. Effect of processing on polyamine content and bioactive peptides released after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of infant formulas.

    PubMed

    Gómez-Gallego, C; Recio, I; Gómez-Gómez, V; Ortuño, I; Bernal, M J; Ros, G; Periago, M J

    2016-02-01

    This study examined the influence of processing on polyamines and peptide release after the digestion of a commercial infant formula designed for children during the first months of life. Polyamine oxidase activity was not suppressed during the manufacturing process, which implicates that polyamine concentrations were reduced over time and during infant formula self-life. In gel electrophoresis, in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of samples with reduced amount of enzymes and time of digestion shows an increase in protein digestibility, reflected in the increase in nonprotein nitrogen after digestion and the disappearance of β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin bands in gel electrophoresis. Depending on the sample, between 22 and 87 peptides were identified after gastrointestinal digestion. A peptide from β-casein f(98-105) with the sequence VKEAMAPK and antioxidant activity appeared in all of the samples. Other peptides with antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial activities were frequently found, which could have an effect on infant health. The present study confirms that the infant formula manufacturing process determines the polyamine content and peptidic profile after digestion of the infant formula. Because compositional dissimilarity between human milk and infant formula in polyamines and proteins could be responsible for some of the differences in health reported between breast-fed and formula-fed children, these changes must be taken into consideration because they may have a great effect on infant nutrition and development. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Carbonic Acid by Ion Implantation in Water_solarCarbon Dioxide Ice Mixtures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brucato, J. R.; Palumbo, M. E.; Strazzulla, G.

    1997-01-01

    We present the results of experiments performed by keV ion (He and H) bombardment of frozen mixtures of H 2O:CO 2and of pure CO 2ice. Using keV He ions we confirm the already reported measurement of carbonic acid (H 2CO 3) production in an ice mixture of frozen water and carbon dioxide (1:1) after irradiation by 0.7 MeV H ions (Moore, M. H., and R. K. Khanna 1991. Spectrochim. Acta47, 255-262; Moore, M. H., R. K. Khanna, and B. Donn 1991. J. Geophys. Res. E96(2), 17,541-17,545.). Contrary to a previous report (Pirronello, V., W. L. Brown, L. J. Lanzerotti, K. J. Marcantonio, and E. H. Simmons 1982. Astrophys. J.262, 636-640.), formaldehyde (H 2CO), if any, is not a major product. Implantation with hydrogen ions demonstrates that carbonic acid is formed even if the irradiated target is pure CO 2; i.e., the implanted ion is incorporated into the target and forms new bonds. Some possible astrophysical applications on Solar System objects or (pre-solar) interstellar grains are discussed.

  4. Polyamine metabolism in ripening tomato fruit. I. Identification of metabolites of putrescine and spermidine. [Lycopersicon esculentum Mill

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rastogi, R.; Davies, P.J.

    The metabolism of (1,4-{sup 14}C)putrescine and (terminal methylene-{sup 3}H)spermidine was studied in the fruit pericarp (breaker stage) discs of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv Rutgers, and the metabolites identified by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The metabolism of both putrescine and spermidine was relatively slow; in 24 hours about 15% of each amine was metabolized. The {sup 14}C label from putrescine was incorporated into spermidine, {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid, and a polar fraction eluting with sugars and organic acids. In the presence of gabaculine, a specific inhibitor of GABA:pyruvate transminase, the label going into glutamic acid,more » sugars and organic acids decreased by 80% while that in GABA increased about twofold, indicating that the transamination reaction is probably a major fate of GABA produced from putrescine in vivo. ({sup 3}H)Spermidine was catabolized into putrescine and {beta}-alanine. The conversion of putrescine into GABA, and that of spermidine into putrescine, suggests the presence of polyamine oxidizing enzymes in tomato pericarp tissues. The possible pathways of putrescine and spermidine metabolism are discussed.« less

  5. Hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective seeds mixture diet rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

    PubMed

    Makni, Mohamed; Fetoui, Hamadi; Garoui, El Mouldi; Gargouri, Nabil K; Jaber, Hazem; Makni, Jamel; Boudawara, Tahia; Zeghal, Najiba

    2010-01-01

    In vitro physicochemical and antioxidant properties of mixture of Flax/Sesame (LS) and Flax/Peanut (LA) and in vivo hypolipidemic, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities were carried out to ascertain the claim of its utilisation against diseases. The seeds mixture rich in unsaturated fatty acids were prepared with 5/1 ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids and were orally administered ad libitum to rats by standard diet for 30 days. High cholesterol fed diet rats (CD-chol) exhibited a significant increase in total plasma and liver lipid parameters and atherogenicity and a significant decrease in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and HDL/TC ratio (HTR). Administration of (LS) or (LA) seeds mixture to hypercholesterolemic rats (MS-LSchol and MS-LAchol groups respectively) significantly ameliorated lipid parameters and showed an increase of PUFAs (ALA and LA) and MUFAs and a decrease of SFAs in plasma and liver of MS-LSchol and MS-LAchol groups. Furthermore, malondialdehyde levels decreased and the efficiency of antioxidant defense system was improved compared to CD-chol group. Liver histological sections showed lipid storage in hepatocytes of CD-chol group and an improvement was noted in both supplemented groups. Our results suggested that seeds mixtures of Flax/Sesame and Flax/Peanut have anti-atherogenic and hepatoprotective effects. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Chlorella viruses contain genes encoding a complete polyamine biosynthetic pathway

    PubMed Central

    Baumann, Sascha; Sander, Adrianne; Gurnon, James R.; Yanai-Balser, Giane; VanEtten, James L.; Piotrowski, Markus

    2007-01-01

    Two genes encoding the putative polyamine biosynthetic enzymes agmatine iminohydrolase (AIH) and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (CPA) were cloned from the chloroviruses PBCV-1, NY-2A and MT325. They were expressed in Escherichia coli to form C-terminal (His)6-tagged proteins and the recombinant proteins were purified by Ni2+- binding affinity chromatography. The biochemical properties of the two enzymes are similar to AIH and CPA enzymes from Arabidopsis thaliana and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Together with the previously known virus genes encoding ornithine/arginine decarboxlyase (ODC/ADC) and homospermidine synthase, the chloroviruses have genes that encode a complete set of functional enzymes that synthesize the rare polyamine homospermidine from arginine via agmatine, N-carbamoylputrescine and putrescine. The PBCV-1 aih and cpa genes are expressed early during virus infection together with the odc/adc gene, suggesting that biosynthesis of putrescine is important in early stages of viral replication. The aih and cpa genes are widespread in the chlorella viruses. PMID:17101165

  7. Method for regenerating magnetic polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin

    DOEpatents

    Kochen, R.L.; Navratil, J.D.

    1997-07-29

    Magnetic polymer resins capable of efficient removal of actinides and heavy metals from contaminated water are disclosed together with methods for making, using, and regenerating them. The resins comprise polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin beads with ferrites attached to the surfaces of the beads. Markedly improved water decontamination is demonstrated using these magnetic polymer resins of the invention in the presence of a magnetic field, as compared with water decontamination methods employing ordinary ion exchange resins or ferrites taken separately. 9 figs.

  8. Polyamine Triglycerides: Synthesis and Study of Their Potential in Lubrication, Neutralization, and Sequestration.

    PubMed

    Harry-O'kuru, Rogers E; Biresaw, Girma; Murray, Rex E

    2015-07-22

    Renewable resources have evoked a new awakening in both scientific and industrial circles in the past decade. Vegetable oil is one category of renewables that is amenable as a source of new industrial products. Because the source feedstock, seeds, are environmentally friendly, the derivatized products from these at the end of their lifetime could also be benign when designed appropriately. Bioethanol and biodiesel are examples of biobased industrial products currently in the market place and have become resources for uplifting the rural economy. Biolubricants also are playing a more prominent role because they have become closely competitive with petroleum-based lubricants. These products are renewable because the crops from which the feedstuff for the biofuels and biolubricants are produced are grown annually in contrast to nonrenewable mineral sources. Added to their renewability is the inherent biodegradability of their end-use products after their useful lifetime. In a recent study of the lubricity characteristics of peracylated polyhydroxy milkweed oil, the derivatives were found to exhibit good oxidative stability as well as excellent antiwear properties. To further explore an expansion in the properties of such materials in lubrication and other applications, in this study the polyhydroxy (OH) moieties of derivatized milkweed triglycerides were replaced with -NHR groupings in the oil. In this process novel polyketo triglyceride intermediates leading to polyamine derivatives of the vegetable oil have been synthesized. The polyamine triglyceride markedly improved the stability of the parent oil to oxidative stress. It has also attenuated the extreme viscosity of the starting polyhydroxy oil to a more useful product that could be amenable for use as a lubricating agent, for example, hydraulic fluid. Both the polyketone and polyimine intermediates of the polyamine have chelating properties. The intermediates and the polyamine were characterized spectroscopically

  9. [Polyamines and cell growth: specific aspects in Amoeba proteus and in certain cancer cell lines].

    PubMed

    Dubois, J; Schenkel, E; Hanocq, M

    1995-01-01

    The differences between the metabolic schemes of polyamines can be the starting point to investigate the discovery of new antiparasitic or anticancer drugs which would be cell type specific. The studies, which were undertaken with the P388 cancer cells and Amoeba proteus, have shown that the pool of polyamine was very different in both cell types. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of putrescine, spermidine, spermine and 1-3 diaminopropane was found to be dependent of the activity of cell enzymes which could play a role to control cell proliferation by producing toxic metabolites.

  10. Diminished excretion of polyamines from BHK-21/C13 cells exposed to methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

    PubMed Central

    Melvin, M A; Keir, H M

    1978-01-01

    Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (1,1'-[methylethanediylidine)dinitrilo]diguanidine) inhibited the growth of BHK-21/C13 cells in monolayer cultures. Accumulation of spermidine and spermine was inhibited, whereas the accumulation of putrescine was increased. The intracellular spermidine/spermine molar ratio decreased conly slightly after exposure of the cells to 20 micrometer-methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) for 1 day. Cells incubated in the presence of the drug released less polyamine into the culture medium that did control cells, the polyamine released consisting almost exclusively of spermidine, both free and as a conjugated form. PMID:697761

  11. Polyamine levels in breast milk are associated with mothers' dietary intake and are higher in preterm than full-term human milk and formulas.

    PubMed

    Atiya Ali, M; Strandvik, B; Sabel, K-G; Palme Kilander, C; Strömberg, R; Yngve, A

    2014-10-01

    Polyamine intake from milk is considered essential for post-natal maturation of the immune system and small intestine. The present study aimed to determine polyamine content in human milk after preterm delivery and the association with mothers' dietary intake. In comparison, the polyamine levels were compared with those in term breast milk and some corresponding formulas. Transitional breast milk was collected from 40 mothers delivering after 24-36 weeks of gestation, and from 12 mothers delivering after full term. Food intake was assessed in mothers delivering preterm babies using a 3-day diary. Polyamines were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The dietary intake of polyamines was significantly associated with breast milk content but weaker for spermine than for spermidine and putrescine. Total polyamine level was higher in preterm than term milk and lower in the corresponding formulas. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine contents [mean (SEM)] in preterm milk were 165.6 (25), 615.5 (80) and 167.7 (16) nmol dL⁻¹, respectively, with the levels of putrescine and spermidine being 50% and 25% higher than in term milk. The content of spermine did not differ. Dietary intake of polyamines has an impact on the content in breast milk. The difference between human milk after preterm and term delivery might be considered when using donor human milk for preterm infants. The corresponding formulas had lower contents. Further studies are important for determining the relationship between tissue growth and maturation and optimal intake. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  12. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the polyamine oxidase gene family in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis).

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Liu, Ji-Hong

    2015-01-25

    Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) are FAD-dependent enzymes associated with polyamine catabolism. In plants, increasing evidences support that PAO genes play essential roles in abiotic and biotic stresses response. In this study, six putative PAO genes (CsPAO1-CsPAO6) were unraveled in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) using the released citrus genome sequences. A total of 203 putative cis-regulatory elements involved in hormone and stress response were predicted in 1.5-kb promoter regions at the upstream of CsPAOs. The CsPAOs can be divided into four major groups, with similar organizations with their counterparts of Arabidopsis thaliana. Transcripts of CsPAOs were detected in leaf, stem, cotyledon, and root, with the highest levels detected in the roots. The CsPAOs displayed various responses to exogenous treatments with polyamines and ABA and were differentially altered by abiotic stresses, including cold, salt, and mannitol. Overexpression of CsPAO3 in tobacco demonstrated that spermidine and spermine were decreased in the transgenic line, while putrescine was significantly enhanced, implying a potential role of this gene in polyamine back conversion. These data provide valuable knowledge for understanding the roles of the PAO genes in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Mixture toxicity of the anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetylsalicylic acid.

    PubMed

    Cleuvers, Michael

    2004-11-01

    The ecotoxicity of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) has been evaluated using acute Daphnia and algal tests. Toxicities were relatively low, with half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) values obtained using Daphnia in the range from 68 to 166 mg L(-1) and from 72 to 626 mg L(-1) in the algal test. Acute effects of these substances seem to be quite improbable. The quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) approach showed that all substances act by nonpolar narcosis; thus, the higher the n-octanol/water partitioning coefficient (log Kow) of the substances, the higher is their toxicity. Mixture toxicity of the compounds could be accurately predicted using the concept of concentration addition. Toxicity of the mixture was considerable, even at concentrations at which the single substances showed no or only very slight effects, with some deviations in the Daphnia test, which could be explained by incompatibility of the very steep dose-response curves and the probit analysis of the data. Because pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment occur usually as mixtures, an accurate prediction of the mixture toxicity is indispensable for environmental risk assessment.

  14. Detection of Free Polyamines in Plants Subjected to Abiotic Stresses by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

    PubMed

    Gong, Xiaoqing; Liu, Ji-Hong

    2017-01-01

    High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a sensitive, rapid, and accurate technique to detect and characterize various metabolites from plants. The metabolites are extracted with different solvents and eluted with appropriate mobile phases in a designed HPLC program. Polyamines are known to accumulate under abiotic stress conditions in various plant species and thought to provide protection against oxidative stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species. Here, we describe a common method to detect the free polyamines in plant tissues both qualitatively and quantitatively.

  15. Radioprotection of Human Cell Nuclear DNA by Polyamines: Radiosensitivity of Chromatin is Influenced by Tightly Bound Spermine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Warters, Raymond L.; Newton, Gerald L.; Olive, Peggy L.; Fahey, Robert C.

    1999-01-01

    The polyamines putrescine (PUT) and spermine (SPM) were examined for their ability to protect human cell Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) against the formation of radiation-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs). As observed previously, under conditions where polyamines were shown to be almost completely absent, association with nuclear matrix protein into a nucleoid, and organization into chromatin structure, protected DNA from induction of DSBs by factors of 4.5 and 95, respectively. At concentrations below 1 mM, PUT or SPM provided equivalent levels of protection to deproteinized nuclear DNA, consistent with their capacity to scavenge radiation-induced radicals. At constant ionic strength, 5 mM SPM protected deproteinized DNA and nucleoid DNA and DNA in nuclear chromatin by factors of 100 and 26, respectively. At 5 mM, SPM provided 15 times greater protection of deproteinized DNA than did PUT. Under physiologically relevant conditions, 5 mM SPM protected DNA in the intact nucleus from the induction of DSBs by a factor of 2 relative to DNA in the absence of SPM. Studies of SPM binding during cellular fractionation revealed that a significant fraction of the cellular SPM is tightly bound in the nucleus but can be removed by extended washing. Thus the association of SPM with nuclear chromatin appears to be a significant contributor to the resistance of the cell's DNA to the induction of DSBs.

  16. Effects of molten-salt/ionic-liquid mixture on extraction of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich lipids from Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101.

    PubMed

    Choi, Sun-A; Jung, Joo-Young; Kim, Kyochan; Kwon, Jong-Hee; Lee, Jin-Suk; Kim, Seung Wook; Park, Ji-Yeon; Yang, Ji-Won

    2014-11-01

    In this study, lipid extraction from Aurantiochytrium sp. was performed using a molten-salt/ionic-liquid mixture. The total fatty acid content of Aurantiochytrium sp. was 478.8 mg/g cell, from which 145 mg/g cell (30.3% of total fatty acids) of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was obtained. FeCl3·6H2O showed a high lipid extraction yield (207.9 mg/g cell), when compared with that of [Emim]OAc, which was only 118.1 mg/g cell; notably however, when FeCl3·6H2O was mixed with [Emim]OAc (5:1, w/w), the yield was increased to 478.6 mg/g cell. When lipid was extracted by the FeCl3·6H2O/[Emim]OAc mixture at a 5:1 (w/w) blending ratio under 90 °C, 30 min reaction conditions, the fatty acid content of the extracted lipid was a high purity 997.7 mg/g lipid, with most of the DHA having been extracted (30.2% of total fatty acids). Overall, lipid extraction from Aurantiochytrium sp. was enhanced by the synergistic effects of the molten-salt/ionic-liquid mixture with different ions.

  17. Dual delivery systems based on polyamine analog BENSpm as prodrug and gene delivery vectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Yu

    Combination drug and gene therapy shows promise in cancer treatment. However, the success of such strategy requires careful selection of the therapeutic agents, as well as development of efficient delivery vectors. BENSpm (N 1, N11-bisethylnorspermine), a polyamine analogue targeting the intracellular polyamine pathway, draws our special attention because of the following reasons: (1) polyamine pathway is frequently dysregulated in cancer; (2) BENSpm exhibits multiple functions to interfere with the polyamine pathway, such as to up-regulate polyamine metabolism enzymes and down-regulate polyamine biosynthesis enzymes. Therefore BENSpm depletes all natural polyamines and leads to apoptosis and cell growth inhibition in a wide range of cancers; (3) preclinical studies proved that BENSpm can act synergistically with various chemotherapy agents, making it a promising candidate in combination therapy; (4) multiple positive charges in BENSpm enable it as a suitable building block for cationic polymers, which can be further applied to gene delivery. In this dissertation, our goal was to design dual-function delivery vector based on BENSpm that can function as a gene delivery vector and, after intracellular degradation, as an active anticancer agent targeting dysregulated polyamine metabolism. We first demonstrated strong synergism between BENSpm and a potential therapeutic gene product TRAIL. Strong synergism was obtained in both estrogen-dependent MCF-7 breast cancer cells and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Significant dose reduction of TRAIL in combination with BENSpm in MDA-MB-231 cells, together with the fact that BENSpm rendered MCF-7 cells more sensitive to TRAIL treatment verified our rationale of designing BENSpm-based delivery platform. This was expected to be beneficial for overcoming drug resistance in chemotherapy, as well as boosting the therapeutic effect of therapeutic genes. We first designed a lipid-based BENSpm dual vector (Lipo

  18. Thermodynamics of R-(+)-2-(4-Hydroxyphenoxy)propanoic Acid Dissolution in Methanol, Ethanol, and Methanol-Ethanol Mixture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Wei; Ma, Jinju; Yao, Xinding; Fang, Ruina; Cheng, Liang

    2018-05-01

    The solubilities of R-(+)-2-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)propanoic acid (D-HPPA) in methanol, ethanol and various methanol-ethanol mixtures are determined in the temperature range from 273.15 to 323.15 K at atmospheric pressure using a laser detecting system. The solubilities of D-HPPA increase with increasing mole fraction of ethanol in the methanol-ethanol mixtures. Experimental data were correlated with Buchowski-Ksiazczak λ h equation and modified Apelblat equation; the first one gives better approximation for the experimental results. The enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy of D-HPPA dissolution in methanol, ethanol and methanol-ethanol mixtures were also calculated from the solubility data.

  19. Use of Polyamine Derivatives as Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

    PubMed Central

    Woster, Patrick M.

    2014-01-01

    Histone acetylation and deacetylation, mediated by histone acetyltransferase and the 11 isoforms of histone deacetylase, play an important role in gene expression. Histone deacetylase inhibitors have found utility in the treatment of cancer by promoting the reexpression of aberrantly silenced genes that code for tumor suppressor factors. It is unclear which of the 11 histone deacetylase isoforms are important in human cancer. We have designed a series of polyaminohydroxamic acid (PAHA) and polyaminobenzamide (PABA) histone deacetylase inhibitors that exhibit selectivity among four histone deacetylase isoforms. Although all of the active inhibitors promote reexpression of tumor suppressor factors, they produce variable cellular effects ranging from stimulation of growth to cytostasis and cytotoxicity. This chapter describes the procedures used to quantify the global and isoform-specific inhibition caused by these inhibitors, and techniques used to measure cellular effects such as reexpression of tumor suppressor proteins and hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4. Procedures are also described to examine the ability of PAHAs and PABAs to utilize the polyamine transport system and to induce overexpression of the early apoptotic factor annexin A1. PMID:21318894

  20. Nonequimolar Mixture of Organic Acids and Bases: An Exception to the Rule of Thumb for Salt or Cocrystal.

    PubMed

    Pratik, Saied Md; Datta, Ayan

    2016-08-04

    Formation of salt and/or cocrystal from organic acid-base mixtures has significant consequences in the pharmaceutical industry and its related intellectual property rights (IPR). On the basis of calculations using periodic dispersion corrected DFT (DFT-D2) on formic acid-pyridine adduct, we have demonstrated that an equimolar stoichiometric ratio (1:1) exists as a neutral cocrystal. On the other hand, the nonequimolar stoichiometry (4:1) readily forms an ionic salt. While the former result is in agreement with the ΔpKa rule between the base and the acid, the latter is not. Calculations reveal that, within the equimolar manifold (n:n; n = 1-4), the mixture exists as a hydrogen bonded complex in a cocrystal-like environment. However, the nonequimolar mixture in a ratio of 5:1 and above readily forms salt-like structures. Because of the cooperative nature of hydrogen bonding, the strength of the O-H···N hydrogen bond increases and eventually transforms into O(-)···H-N(+) (complete proton transfer) as the ratio of formic acid increases and forms salt as experimentally observed. Clearly, an enhanced polarization of formic acid on aggregation increases its acidity and, hence, facilitates its transfer to pyridine. Motion of the proton from formic acid to pyridine is shown to follow a relay mechanism wherein the proton that is far away from pyridine is ionized and is subsequently transferred to pyridine via hopping across the neutral formic acid molecules (Grotthuss type pathway). The dynamic nature of protons in the condensed phase is also evident for cocrystals as the barrier of intramolecular proton migration in formic acid (leading to tautomerism), ΔH(⧧)tautomer = 17.1 kcal/mol in the presence of pyridine is half of that in free formic acid (cf. ΔH(⧧)tautomer = 34.2 kcal/mol). We show that an acid-base reaction can be altered in the solid state to selectively form a cocrystal or salt depending on the strength and nature of aggregation.

  1. Role of amino acids and their Maillard mixtures with ribose in the biosilicification process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolb, Vera M.; Liesch, Patrick J.

    2006-08-01

    Mode of preservation of organic materials on early Earth, Mars or other extraterrestrial objects, and during the space transport on objects such as meteors, is one of the NASA's interests. This is especially true for the bio-organic materials, which could indicate life, past or present. Finding of such materials preserved in some ancient rocks, for example, could be interpreted as a biosignature. We have developed an experimental model for silicification, in which we have synthesized silica gels by reacting sodium silicate solution with various amino acids and with their mixtures with sugars, so-called Maillard mixtures. Our results indicate that these organic materials cause rapid and massive polymerization of silica. Such process may encrust organics or small organisms and thus preserve them. We have studied the gels we synthesized by the infrared (IR) spectroscopic method, and have detected small amount of the organic material in the silica gel. The gels were distinct in each case and have aged differently. In some cases, gel-sol-gel transformations were observed, which may be important for transport of both gels and the organics under prebiotic conditions. The gels obtained from the Maillard mixtures differ from those from the amino acids. Deuteration of the gels was performed in an attempt to resolve the bands in the Si-O-Si and Si-O-C region.

  2. Amelioration in secretion of hyperthermostable and Ca2+ -independent alpha-amylase of Geobacillus thermoleovorans by some polyamines and their biosynthesis inhibitor methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone.

    PubMed

    Uma Maheswar Rao, J L; Satyanarayana, T

    2004-01-01

    Effect of polyamines and their biosynthesis inhibitors on the production of hyperthermostable and Ca2+ -independent alpha-amylase by Geobacillus thermoleovorans MTCC 4220. The alpha-amylase was produced in starch-yeast extract-tryptone (SYT) broth with different polyamines (PA) and polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors, methylglyoxal-bis-guanylhydrazone (MGBG) and cyclohexylammonium sulphate (CHA) at 70 degrees C. The bacterial pellets were obtained after growing G. thermoleovorans at different temperatures, and used in determining total PA. The cell-free culture filtrates were used in alpha-amylase assays. During growth, total polyamines in biomass increased till 2 h, and thereafter, decreased gradually. The total polyamine content was very high in the biomass cultivated at 55 degrees C when compared with that of higher temperatures. Enzyme titre enhanced up to 70 degrees C, and thereafter declined. Extracellular enzyme and protein levels declined in the presence of exogenously added PA. The intracellular enzyme titres, however, were higher in putrescine (put) and spermidine (spd) than in spermine (spm). Polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor, MGBG enhanced secretion of alpha-amylase in a laboratory fermentor as well as shake flasks, although CHA did not affect it. The intracellular accumulation of put in the presence of MGBG appeared to enhance synthesis and secretion of alpha-amylase. Extracellular enzyme and protein levels were low in the presence of exogenously added PA, but their intracellular levels, however, were higher in put and spd than in spm. A substantial increase in the synthesis and secretion of alpha-amylase was attained in G. thermoleovorans in the presence of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor MGBG.

  3. Pervaporation separation of ethanol-water mixtures using polyacrylic acid composite membranes

    DOEpatents

    Neidlinger, H.H.

    1985-05-07

    Synthetic, organic, polymeric membranes were prepared from polyacrylic acid salts for use with pervaporation apparatus in the separation of ehthanol-water mixtures. The polymeric material was prepared in dilute aqueous solution and coated onto a polysulfone support film, from which excess polymeric material was subsequently removed. Cross-links were then generated by limited exposure to toluene-2,4-diisocyanata solution, after which the prepared membrane was heat-cured. The resulting membrane structure showed selectivity in permeating water over a wide range of feed concentrations. 4 tabs.

  4. [Characteristics of polyamine biosynthesis regulation and tumor growth rate in hormone-dependant grafted breast tumors of mice and rats].

    PubMed

    Orlovskiĭ, A A

    2007-01-01

    Effect of the inhibitors of polyamines biosynthesis on completely or partially hormone-dependant breast tumors (mouse Ca755 carcinoma and Walker W-256 carcinosarcoma) is essentially special: in contrary to hormone-dependant tumors, this effect may be not only breaking but stimulating as well. Change-over from one to another mode of reaction is conditioned, most probable, by hormonal status, which is determined by one or another estral cycle phase. Biochemical mechanisms of this change-over are closely connected with polyamines metabolism, namely the degree of polyamines (especially spermine) interconvertion and physiological reactivity level of the system controlling expression of ornithin-decarboxilase. At that, the first of these pathways is predominant for completely hormone-dependant Ca755 and the second one -for partially hormone-dependant W-256.

  5. Enzymatic synthesis of cocoa butter equivalent from olive oil and palmitic-stearic fatty acid mixture.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, Ibrahim O

    2015-01-01

    The main goal of the present research is to restructure olive oil triacylglycerol (TAG) using enzymatic acidolysis reaction to produce structured lipids that is close to cocoa butter in terms of TAG structure and melting characteristics. Lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of refined olive oil with a mixture of palmitic-stearic acids at different substrate ratios was performed in an agitated batch reactor maintained at constant temperature and agitation speed. The reaction attained steady-state conversion in about 5 h with an overall conversion of 92.6 % for the olive oil major triacylglycerol 1-palmitoy-2,3-dioleoyl glycerol (POO). The five major TAGs of the structured lipids produced with substrate mass ratio of 1:3 (olive oil/palmitic-stearic fatty acid mixture) were close to that of the cocoa butter with melting temperature between 32.6 and 37.7 °C. The proposed kinetics model used fits the experimental data very well.

  6. Increased polyamines as protective disease modifiers in congenital muscular dystrophy.

    PubMed

    Kemaladewi, D U; Benjamin, J S; Hyatt, E; Ivakine, E A; Cohn, R D

    2018-06-01

    Most Mendelian disorders, including neuromuscular disorders, display extensive clinical heterogeneity that cannot be solely explained by primary genetic mutations. This phenotypic variability is largely attributed to the presence of disease modifiers, which can exacerbate or lessen the severity and progression of the disease. LAMA2-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD) is a fatal degenerative muscle disease resulting from mutations in the LAMA2 gene encoding Laminin-α2. Progressive muscle weakness is predominantly observed in the lower limbs in LAMA2-CMD patients, whereas upper limbs muscles are significantly less affected. However, very little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying differential pathophysiology between specific muscle groups. Here, we demonstrate that the triceps muscles of the dy2j/dy2j mouse model of LAMA2-CMD demonstrate very mild myopathic findings compared with the tibialis anterior (TA) muscles that undergo severe atrophy and fibrosis, suggesting a protective mechanism in the upper limbs of these mice. Comparative gene expression analysis reveals that S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (Amd1) and Spermine oxidase (Smox), two components of polyamine pathway metabolism, are downregulated in the TA but not in the triceps of dy2j/dy2j mice. As a consequence, the level of polyamine metabolites is significantly lower in the TA than triceps. Normalization of either Amd1 or Smox expression in dy2j/dy2j TA ameliorates muscle fibrosis, reduces overactive profibrotic TGF-β pathway and leads to improved locomotion. In summary, we demonstrate that a deregulated polyamine metabolism is a characteristic feature of severely affected lower limb muscles in LAMA2-CMD. Targeted modulation of this pathway represents a novel therapeutic avenue for this devastating disease.

  7. STABILIZATION OF PROTOPLASTS AND SPHEROPLASTS BY SPERMINE AND OTHER POLYAMINES

    PubMed Central

    Tabor, Celia W.

    1962-01-01

    Tabor, Celia W. (National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, Bethesda, Md.). Stabilization of protoplasts and spheroplasts by spermine and other polyamines. J. Bacteriol. 83:1101–1111. 1962.—Spermine (10−3m) or spermidine prevents lysis of lysozyme-produced protoplasts of Escherichia coli W, E. coli B, and Micrococcus lysodeikticus in hypotonic media. Spheroplasts prepared by the action of penicillin are also stabilized by these concentrations of spermine and spermidine, but the protection is not as complete. Streptomycin, polylysine, and Ca++ are also effective or partially effective stabilizers, but 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, ornithine, Mg++, and monovalent cations have no protective action at 10−3m concentration, and only a slight effect at higher concentrations. The osmotic stability conferred on protoplasts by spermine is irreversible. However, the protective effect of polyamines against lysis is not accompanied by restoration of viability to lysozyme protoplasts. There is a marked reduction in the loss of ultra-violet-absorbing material from the protoplasts to the medium when 10−3m spermine is present. PMID:16561942

  8. Putrescine Aminopropyltransferase Is Responsible for Biosynthesis of Spermidine, Spermine, and Multiple Uncommon Polyamines in Osmotic Stress-Tolerant Alfalfa.

    PubMed Central

    Bagga, S.; Rochford, J.; Klaene, Z.; Kuehn, G. D.; Phillips, G. C.

    1997-01-01

    The biosynthesis of polyamines from the diamine putrescine is not fully understood in higher plants. A putrescine aminopropyltransferase (PAPT) enzyme activity was characterized in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). This enzyme activity was highly specific for putrescine as the initial substrate and did not recognize another common diamine, 1,3-diaminopropane, or higher-molecular-weight polyamines such as spermidine and spermine as alternative initial substrates. The enzyme activity was inhibited by a general inhibitor of aminopropyltransferases, 5[prime]-methylthioadenosine, and by a specific inhibitor of PAPTs, cyclohexylammonium sulfate. The initial substrate specificity and inhibition characteristics of the enzyme activity suggested that it is a classical example of a PAPT. However, this enzyme activity yielded multiple polyamine products, which is uncharacteristic of PAPTs. The major reaction product of PAPT activity in alfalfa was spermidine. The next most abundant products of the enzyme reaction using putrescine as the initial substrate included the tetramines spermine and thermospermine. These two tetramines were distinguished by thin-layer chromatography to be distinct reaction products exhibiting differential rates of formation. In addition, the uncommon polyamines homocaldopentamine and homocaldohexamine were tentatively identified as minor enzymatic reaction products but only in extracts prepared from osmotic stresstolerant alfalfa cultivars. PAPT activity from alfalfa was highest in meristematic shoot tip and floral bud tissues and was not detected in older, nonmeristematic tissues. Product inhibition of the enzyme activity was observed after spermidine was added into the in vitro assay for alfalfa PAPT activity. A biosynthetic pathway is proposed that accounts for the characteristics of this PAPT activity and accommodates a novel scheme by which certain uncommon polyamines are produced in plants. PMID:12223719

  9. Block of high-threshold calcium channels by the synthetic polyamines sFTX-3.3 and FTX-3.3.

    PubMed

    Norris, T M; Moya, E; Blagbrough, I S; Adams, M E

    1996-10-01

    A polyamine component of Agelenopsis aperta spider venom designated FTX is reported to be a selective antagonist of P-type calcium channels in the mammalian brain. Consequently, this component has frequently been used as a pharmacological tool to determine the presence, distribution, and function of P-type channels in physiological systems. We describe antagonism of calcium channels by the synthesized polyamine FTX-3.3, which has the proposed structure of natural FTX. We also examined a corresponding polyamine amide, sFTX-3.3. These polyamines are critically evaluated for antagonism of three high-threshold calcium channel subtypes in rat neurons through the use of the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. FTX-3.3 (IC50 = approximately 0.13 mM) is approximately twice as potent as sFTX-3.3 (IC50 = approximately 0.24 mM) against P-type channels and approximately 3-fold more potent against N-type channels (FTX-3.3, IC50 = approximately 0.24 mM; sFTX-3.3, IC50 = approximately 0.70 mM). Both polyamines also block L-type calcium channels with similar potencies. sFTX-3.3 (1 mM) and FTX-3.3 (0.5 mM) typically block 50% and 65% of Bay K8644-enhanced L-type current, respectively. Antagonism of each calcium channel subtype is voltage dependent, with less inhibition of Ba2+ currents at more-positive potentials. These data show that both sFTX-3.3 and FTX-3.3 antagonize P-, N-, and L-type calcium channels in mammalian Purkinje and superior cervical ganglia neurons with similar IC50 values.

  10. Deprivation of L-Arginine Induces Oxidative Stress Mediated Apoptosis in Leishmania donovani Promastigotes: Contribution of the Polyamine Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Mandal, Abhishek; Das, Sushmita; Roy, Saptarshi; Ghosh, Ayan Kumar; Sardar, Abul Hasan; Verma, Sudha; Saini, Savita; Singh, Ruby; Abhishek, Kumar; Kumar, Ajay; Mandal, Chitra; Das, Pradeep

    2016-01-01

    The growth and survival of intracellular parasites depends on the availability of extracellular nutrients. Deprivation of nutrients viz glucose or amino acid alters redox balance in mammalian cells as well as some lower organisms. To further understand the relationship, the mechanistic role of L-arginine in regulation of redox mediated survival of Leishmania donovani promastigotes was investigated. L-arginine deprivation from the culture medium was found to inhibit cell growth, reduce proliferation and increase L-arginine uptake. Relative expression of enzymes, involved in L-arginine metabolism, which leads to polyamine and trypanothione biosynthesis, were downregulated causing decreased production of polyamines in L-arginine deprived parasites and cell death. The resultant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), due to L-arginine deprivation, correlated with increased NADP+/NADPH ratio, decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) level, increased lipid peroxidation and reduced thiol content. A deficiency of L-arginine triggered phosphatidyl serine externalization, a change in mitochondrial membrane potential, release of intracellular calcium and cytochrome-c. This finally led to DNA damage in Leishmania promastigotes. In summary, the growth and survival of Leishmania depends on the availability of extracellular L-arginine. In its absence the parasite undergoes ROS mediated, caspase-independent apoptosis-like cell death. Therefore, L-arginine metabolism pathway could be a probable target for controlling the growth of Leishmania parasites and disease pathogenesis. PMID:26808657

  11. Mechanistic and structural analyses of the roles of active site residues in yeast polyamine oxidase Fms1: characterization of the N195A and D94N enzymes.

    PubMed

    Adachi, Mariya S; Taylor, Alexander B; Hart, P John; Fitzpatrick, Paul F

    2012-10-30

    Flavoprotein Fms1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyzes the oxidation of spermine in the biosynthetic pathway for pantothenic acid. The same reaction is catalyzed by the mammalian polyamine and spermine oxidases. The active site of Fms1 contains three amino acid residues positioned to interact with the polyamine substrate, His67, Asn195, and Asp94. These three residues form a hydrogen-bonding triad with Asn195 being the central residue. Previous studies of the effects of mutating His67 are consistent with that residue being important both for interacting with the substrate and for maintaining the hydrogen bonds in the triad [Adachi, M. S., Taylor, A. B., Hart, P. J., and Fitzpatrick, P. F. (2012) Biochemistry 51, 4888-4897]. The N195A and D94N enzymes have now been characterized to evaluate their roles in catalysis. Both mutations primarily affect the reductive half-reaction. With N(1)-acetylspermine as the substrate, the rate constant for flavin reduction decreases ~450-fold for both mutations; the effects with spermine as the substrate are smaller, 20-40-fold. The k(cat)/K(amine)- and k(cat)-pH profiles with N(1)-acetylspermine are only slightly changed from the profiles for the wild-type enzyme, consistent with the pK(a) values arising from the amine substrate or product and not from active site residues. The structure of the N195A enzyme was determined at a resolution of 2.0 Å. The structure shows a molecule of tetraethylene glycol in the active site and establishes that the mutation has no effect on the protein structure. Overall, the results are consistent with the role of Asn195 and Asp94 being to properly position the polyamine substrate for oxidation.

  12. Changes in polyamines, inorganic ions and glutamine synthetase activity in response to nitrogen availability and form in red spruce (Picea rubens)

    Treesearch

    Michelle J. Serapiglia; Rakesh Minocha; Subhash C. Minocha

    2008-01-01

    We analyzed effects of nitrogen availability and form on growth rates, concentrations of polyamines and inorganic ions and glutamine synthetase activity in in-vitro-cultured red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) cells. Growth rates, concentrations of polyamines and glutamine synthetase activity declined when either the amount of nitrate or the total amount...

  13. Diethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), a potent inhibitor of mammalian S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Effects on cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism in L1210 leukemia cells.

    PubMed

    Svensson, F; Kockum, I; Persson, L

    1993-07-21

    The polyamines are cell constituents essential for growth and differentiation. S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) catalyzes a key step in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway. Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) is an anti-leukemic agent with a strong inhibitory effect against AdoMetDC. However, the lack of specificity limits the usefulness of MGBG. In the present report we have used an analog of MGBG, diethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (DEGBG), with a much greater specificity and potency against AdoMetDC, to investigate the effects of AdoMetDC inhibition on cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism in mouse L1210 leukemia cells. DEGBG was shown to effectively inhibit AdoMetDC activity in exponentially growing L1210 cells. The inhibition of AdoMetDC was reflected in a marked decrease in the cellular concentrations of spermidine and spermine. The concentration of putrescine, on the other hand, was greatly increased. Treatment with DEGBG resulted in a compensatory increase in the synthesis of AdoMetDC demonstrating an efficient feedback control. Cells seeded in the presence of DEGBG ceased to grow after a lag period of 1-2 days, indicating that the cells contained an excess of polyamines which were sufficient for one or two cell cycles in the absence of polyamine synthesis. The present results indicate that analogs of MGBG, having a greater specificity against AdoMetDC, might be valuable for studies concerning polyamines and cell proliferation.

  14. Properties of L-ascorbic acid in water and binary aqueous mixtures of D-glucose and D-fructose at different temperatures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Ravi; Thakur, R. C.; Sani, Balwinder; Kumar, Harsh

    2017-12-01

    Using density and sound velocity partial molar volumes, partial molar adiabatic compressibilities, partial molar expansibilities and structure of L-ascorbic acid have been determined in water and aqueous mixtures of D-glucose and D-fructose at different concentrations and temperatures. Masson's equation was used to analyze the measured data. The obtained parameters have been interpreted in terms of solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions. It is found that the L-ascorbic acid acts as structure breaker in water as well in binary studied mixtures.

  15. Mono- and multimeric ferrocene congeners of quinoline-based polyamines as potential antiparasitics

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A series of mono- and multimeric polyamine-containing ferrocenyl complexes bearing a quinoline motif were prepared. The complexes were characterised by standard techniques. The molecular structure of the monomeric salicylaldimine derivative was elucidated using single crystal X-ray diffraction and w...

  16. Role of diamine oxidase during the treatment of tumour-bearing mice with combinations of polyamine anti-metabolites.

    PubMed Central

    Kallio, A; Jänne, J

    1983-01-01

    Treatment of mice bearing L1210 leukaemia with 2-difluoromethylornithine, a specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), produced a profound depletion of putrescine and spermidine in the tumour cells. Sequential combination of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), with difluoromethylornithine largely reversed the polyamine depletion and led to a marked accumulation of cadaverine in the tumour cells. Experiments carried out with the combination of difluoromethylornithine and aminoguanidine, a potent inhibitor of diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6), indicated that the methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone)-induced reversal of polyamine depletion was mediated by the known inhibition of diamine oxidase by the diguanidine. In spite of the normalization of the tumour cell polyamine pattern upon administration of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) to difluoromethylornithine-treated animals, the combination of these two drugs produced a growth-inhibitory effect not achievable with either of the compounds alone. PMID:6411077

  17. Interfacial behavior of Myristic acid in mixtures with DMPC and Cholesterol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khattari, Z.; Sayyed, M. I.; Qashou, S. I.; Fasfous, I.; Al-Abdullah, T.; Maghrabi, M.

    2017-06-01

    Binary mixture monolayers of Myristic acid (MA) with the same length of saturated acyl chain lipid viz 1,2-myristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and Cholesterol (Chol), were investigated under different experimental conditions using Langmuir monolayers (LMs). The interfacial pressure-area (π-A) isotherms, excess molecular area, excess free energy and fluorescence microscopy (FM) images were recorded at the air/water interface. Monolayers of both systems (e.g. MA/DMPC, MA/Chol) reach the closest acyl hydrophobic chain packing in the range 0.20 < xMA < 0.70. Thermodynamic analysis indicates miscibility of the binary mixtures when spread at the air/water interface with negative deviation from the ideal behavior. Morphological features of MA/DMPC systems were found to depend strongly on MA mole fraction and pressures by showing two extreme minima in Gibbs free energy of mixing, while MA/Chol systems showed only an effective condensing effect at xMA = 0.90. In the whole range of compositions studied here, the liquid-expanded (LE) to liquid-condensed (LC) phase transition occurs at increasing xAM as it accomplished by a huge increase in the inverse compressibility modulus. FM observations confirmed the phase-transition and condensing effects of both mixture monolayers as evidenced by Gibbs free energy of mixing in a limited range of compositions.

  18. Exogenous Melatonin Alleviates Alkaline Stress in Malus hupehensis Rehd. by Regulating the Biosynthesis of Polyamines.

    PubMed

    Gong, Xiaoqing; Shi, Shuting; Dou, Fangfang; Song, Yi; Ma, Fengwang

    2017-09-13

    Since melatonin was identified in plants decades ago, much attention has been devoted to discovering its role in plant science. There is still a great deal to learn about the functional importance of melatonin, as well as its functional mode. In this paper, we examine the role of melatonin treatment in the response of Malus hupehensis Rehd. to alkaline conditions. Stressed seedlings showed chlorosis and suppressed growth. However, this phenotype was ameliorated when 5 µM melatonin was added to the irrigation solution. This supplementation was also associated with a reduction in cell membrane damage and maintenance of a normal root system architecture. Fewer reactive oxygen species (ROS) were accumulated due to the enhanced scavenging activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase. In addition, alkaline-stressed seedlings that received the melatonin supplement accumulated more polyamines compared with untreated seedlings. Transcript levels of six genes involved in polyamine synthesis, including SAMDC1 , - 3 , and - 4 , and SPDS1 , - 3 , and - 5 , - 6 , were upregulated in response to melatonin application. All of these results demonstrate that melatonin has a positive function in plant tolerance to alkaline stress because it regulates enzyme activity and the biosynthesis of polyamines.

  19. A systematic investigation and insight into the formation mechanism of bilayers of fatty acid/soap mixtures in aqueous solutions.

    PubMed

    Xu, Wenlong; Song, Aixin; Dong, Shuli; Chen, Jingfei; Hao, Jingcheng

    2013-10-08

    Vesicles are the most common form of bilayer structures in fatty acid/soap mixtures in aqueous solutions; however, a peculiar bilayer structure called a "planar sheet" was found for the first time in the mixtures. In the past few decades, considerable research has focused on the formation theory of bilayers in fatty acid/soap mixtures. The hydrogen bond theory has been widely accepted by scientists to explain the formation of bilayers. However, except for the hydrogen bond, no other driving forces were proposed systematically. In this work, three kinds of weak interactions were investigated in detail, which could perfectly demonstrate the formation mechanism of bilayer structures in the fatty acid/soap mixtures in aqueous solutions. (i) The influence of hydrophobic interaction was detected by changing the chain length of fatty acid (C(n)H(2n+1)COOH), in which n = 10 to 18, the phase behavior was investigated, and the phase region was presented. With the help of cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) observations, deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance ((2)H NMR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the vesicles and planar sheets were determined. The chain length of C(n)H(2n+1)COOH has an important effect on the physical state of the hydrophobic chain, resulting in an obvious difference in the viscoelasticity of the solution samples. (ii) The existence of hydrogen bonds between fatty acids and their soaps in aqueous solutions was demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and molecule dynamical simulation. From the pH measurements, the pH ranges of the bilayer formation were at the pKa values of fatty acids, respectively. (iii) Counterions can be embedded in the stern layer of the bilayers and screen the electrostatic repulsion between the COO(-) anionic headgroups. FT-IR characterization demonstrated a bidentate bridging coordination mode between counterions and carboxylates. The conductivity measurements provided the degree

  20. Polyamines: Biomolecules with diverse functions in plant and human health and disease

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The literature abounds with solid evidence that affirms the ubiquitous presence of biogenic amines - polyamines, particularly spermidine and spermine, in all living cells together with their indispensable roles in many biochemical and physiological processes beneficial to plants as well as human hea...

  1. Concurrent overexpression of ornithine decarboxylase and spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase further accelerates the catabolism of hepatic polyamines in transgenic mice.

    PubMed Central

    Suppola, S; Heikkinen, S; Parkkinen, J J; Uusi-Oukari, M; Korhonen, V P; Keinänen, T; Alhonen, L; Jänne, J

    2001-01-01

    We have generated a hybrid transgenic mouse line overexpressing both ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT) under the control of the mouse metallothionein (MT) I promoter. In comparison with singly transgenic animals overexpressing SSAT, the doubly transgenic mice unexpectedly displayed much more striking signs of activated polyamine catabolism, as exemplified by a massive putrescine accumulation and an extreme reduction of hepatic spermidine and spermine pools. Interestingly, the profound depletion of the higher polyamines in the hybrid animals occurred in the presence of strikingly high ODC activity and tremendous putrescine accumulation. Polyamine catabolism in the doubly transgenic mice could be enhanced further by administration of zinc or the polyamine analogue N(1),N(11)-diethylnorspermine. In tracer experiments with [(14)C]spermidine we found that, in comparison with syngenic animals, both MT-ODC and MT-SSAT mice possessed an enhanced efflux mechanism for hepatic spermidine. In the MT-ODC animals this mechanism apparently operated in the absence of measurable SSAT activity. In the hybrid animals, spermidine efflux was stimulated further in comparison with the singly transgenic animals. In spite of a dramatic accumulation of putrescine and a profound reduction of the spermidine and spermine pools, only marginal changes were seen in the level of ODC antizyme. Even though the hybrid animals showed no liver or other organ-specific overt toxicity, except an early and permanent loss of hair, their life span was greatly reduced. These results can be understood from the perspective that catabolism is the overriding regulatory mechanism in the metabolism of the polyamines and that, even under conditions of severe depletion of spermidine and spermine, extremely high tissue pools of putrescine are not driven further to replenish the pools of the higher polyamines. PMID:11513732

  2. Mechanistic and Structural Analyses of the Roles of Active Site Residues in the Yeast Polyamine Oxidase Fms1: Characterization of the N195A and D94N Enzymes†

    PubMed Central

    Adachi, Mariya S.; Taylor, Alexander B.; Hart, P. John; Fitzpatrick, Paul F.

    2012-01-01

    The flavoprotein Fms1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyzes the oxidation of spermine in the biosynthetic pathway for pantothenic acid. The same reaction is catalyzed by the mammalian polyamine and spermine oxidases. The active site of Fms1 contains three amino acid residues positioned to interact with the polyamine substrate, His67, Asn195, and Asp94. These three residues form a hydrogen-bonding triad with Asn195 the central residue. Previous studies of the effects of mutating His67 are consistent with that residue being important both for interacting with the substrate and for maintaining the hydrogen bonds in the triad (Adachi, M. S., Taylor, A. B., Hart, P. J., and Fitzpatrick, P. F. (2012) Biochemistry 51, 4888-4897). The N195A and D94N enzymes have now been characterized to evaluate their roles in catalysis. Both mutations primarily affect the reductive half-reaction. With N1-acetylspermine as substrate, the rate constant for flavin reduction decreases ~450-fold for both mutations; the effects with spermine as substrate are smaller, 20- to 40-fold. The kcat/Kamine and kcat pH profiles with N1acetylspermine are only slightly changed from the profiles for the wild-type enzyme, consistent with the pKa values arising from the amine substrate or product and not from active site residues. The structure of the N195A enzyme was determined at a resolution of 2.0 Å. The structure shows a molecule of tetraethylene glycol in the active site and establishes that the mutation has no effect on the protein structure. Overall, the results are consistent with the role of Asn195 and Asp94 being to properly position the polyamine substrate for oxidation. PMID:23034052

  3. Environmentally Realistic Mixtures of the Five Regulated Haloacetic Acids Exhibit Concentration-Dependent Departures from Dose Additivity

    EPA Science Inventory

    Disinfection of water decreases waterborne disease. Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed by the reaction of oxidizing disinfectants with inorganic and organic materials in the source water. The U.S. EPA regulates five haloacetic acid (HAA) DBPs as a mixture. The objective ...

  4. Arginine and Polyamines Fate in Leishmania Infection

    PubMed Central

    Muxel, Sandra M.; Aoki, Juliana I.; Fernandes, Juliane C. R.; Laranjeira-Silva, Maria F.; Zampieri, Ricardo A.; Acuña, Stephanie M.; Müller, Karl E.; Vanderlinde, Rubia H.; Floeter-Winter, Lucile M.

    2018-01-01

    Leishmania is a protozoan parasite that alternates its life cycle between the sand fly and the mammalian host macrophages, involving several environmental changes. The parasite responds to these changes by promoting a rapid metabolic adaptation through cellular signaling modifications that lead to transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression regulation and morphological modifications. Molecular approaches such as gene expression regulation, next-generation sequencing (NGS), microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling, in cell Western blot analyses and enzymatic activity profiling, have been used to characterize the infection of murine BALB/c and C57BL/6 macrophages, as well as the human monocytic cell-lineage THP-1, with Leishmania amazonensis wild type (La-WT) or arginase knockout (La-arg-). These models are being used to elucidate physiological roles of arginine and polyamines pathways and the importance of arginase for the establishment of the infection. In this review, we will describe the main aspects of Leishmania-host interaction, focusing on the arginine and polyamines pathways and pointing to possible targets to be used for prognosis and/or in the control of the infection. The parasite enzymes, arginase and nitric oxide synthase-like, have essential roles in the parasite survival and in the maintenance of infection. On the other hand, in mammalian macrophages, defense mechanisms are activated inducing alterations in the mRNA, miRNA and enzymatic profiles that lead to the control of infection. Furthermore, the genetic background of both parasite and host are also important to define the fate of infection. PMID:29379478

  5. A small molecule polyamine oxidase inhibitor blocks androgen-induced oxidative stress and delays prostate cancer progression in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate model.

    PubMed

    Basu, Hirak S; Thompson, Todd A; Church, Dawn R; Clower, Cynthia C; Mehraein-Ghomi, Farideh; Amlong, Corey A; Martin, Christopher T; Woster, Patrick M; Lindstrom, Mary J; Wilding, George

    2009-10-01

    High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) present in human prostate epithelia are an important etiologic factor in prostate cancer (CaP) occurrence, recurrence, and progression. Androgen induces ROS production in the prostate by a yet unknown mechanism. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we report for the first time that androgen induces an overexpression of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the polyamine oxidation pathway. As prostatic epithelia produce a large excess of polyamines, the androgen-induced polyamine oxidation that produces H2O2 could be a major reason for the high ROS levels in the prostate epithelia. A small molecule polyamine oxidase inhibitor N,N'-butanedienyl butanediamine (MDL 72,527 or CPC-200) effectively blocks androgen-induced ROS production in human CaP cells, as well as significantly delays CaP progression and death in animals developing spontaneous CaP. These data show that polyamine oxidation is not only a major pathway for ROS production in prostate, but inhibiting this pathway also successfully delays CaP progression.

  6. Cerebral polyamine metabolism: inhibition of spermidine biosynthesis by dicyclohexylamine.

    PubMed

    Porta, R; Camardella, M; Gentile, V; De Santis, A

    1984-02-01

    Since a specific inhibition of cerebral spermidine (Spd) synthase activity by alicyclic amines was preliminarily observed in vitro, we examined the in vivo inhibitory effectiveness of dicyclohexylamine (DCHA) on Spd biosynthesis in 21-day-old rat brain. For this purpose a previously reported HPLC procedure (Porta et al., 1981a) was modified to analyze the cerebral levels of DCHA at the time of polyamine determinations. The intraperitoneally injected DCHA was shown to cross the blood-brain barrier easily, reaching high levels in the cerebral tissue (approximately 750 nmol/g brain) within 1 h of its administration. The effect of the drug on the polyamine metabolism resulted in a significant depletion of Spd biosynthesis from the sixth hour after the treatment and in an earlier and prolonged increase of the putrescine (Pt) steady-state levels. Conversely, the spermine (Spm) endogenous pools remained unchanged throughout the 24-h post-DCHA period. Moreover, following the intracerebral administration of [1,4-14C]Pt, significantly lower specific radioactivity (s.r.a.) values for labeled Pt and Spd were recorded in the brains of DCHA-treated animals. Conversely, after intracerebral [14C]Spd injection, the s.r.a. of newly formed [14C]Spm remained unchanged, confirming the specificity of the DCHA effect on the Spd biosynthesis.

  7. CsPAO4 of Citrus sinensis functions in polyamine terminal catabolism and inhibits plant growth under salt stress.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Liu, Ji-Hong

    2016-08-18

    Polyamine oxidase (PAO) is a key enzyme catalyzing polyamine catabolism leading to H2O2 production. We previously demonstrated that Citrus sinensis contains six putative PAO genes, but their functions are not well understood. In this work, we reported functional elucidation of CsPAO4 in polyamine catabolism and salt stress response. CsPAO4 was localized to the apoplast and used both spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) as substrates for terminal catabolism. Transgenic plants overexpressing CsPAO4 displayed prominent increase in PAO activity, concurrent with marked decrease of Spm and Spd and elevation of H2O2. Seeds of transgenic lines displayed better germination when compared with wild type (WT) under salt stress. However, both vegetative growth and root elongation of the transgenic lines were prominently inhibited under salt stress, accompanied by higher level of H2O2 and more conspicuous programmed cell death (PCD). Exogenous supply of catalase (CAT), a H2O2 scavenger, partially recovered the vegetative growth and root elongation. In addition, spermine inhibited root growth of transgenic plants. Taken together, these data demonstrated that CsPAO4 accounts for production of H2O2 causing oxidative damages under salt stress and that down-regulation of a PAO gene involved in polyamine terminal catabolism may be an alternative approach for improving salt stress tolerance.

  8. Differential Responses of Polyamines and Antioxidants to Drought in a Centipedegrass Mutant in Comparison to Its Wild Type Plants

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Mingxi; Chen, Jingjing; Guo, Zhenfei; Lu, Shaoyun

    2017-01-01

    Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides [Munro] Hack.) is an important warm-season turfgrass species with low turf maintenance requirements. However, our knowledge on physiological adaptation of centipedegrass to drought stress is limited. Physiological responses to drought in a gamma-ray-induced mutant 22-1 as compared with two wild type (WT) lines were analyzed for understanding of drought tolerance mechanism of centipedegrass. The mutant showed an elevated drought tolerance with higher levels of relative water content, net photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) and lower levels of ion leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) under drought stress as compared with WT plants. A showed significant correlation with gs and MDA. Higher levels of antioxidant enzymes activities, non-enzyme antioxidants, and polyamines including putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) were maintained in 22-1 than in WT plants. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate-peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities and ascorbic acid (AsA) content were significantly correlated with both Put and Spd levels, and reduced glutathione level was correlated with Put during drought stress. Exogenous application of Put, Spd, and Spm increased drought tolerance and activities of SOD, CAT, APX, and GR in WT plants. The results suggest that higher levels of polyamines and antioxidant defense system are associated with the elevated drought tolerance in 22-1, which may improve protection on photosynthesis against drought induced oxidative damage. PMID:28559909

  9. Multi-objective Optimization of Molecular Distillation Conditions for Oleic Acid from a Rich-in-Fatty Acid Model Mixture.

    PubMed

    Ketenoğlu, Onur; Erdoğdu, Ferruh; Tekin, Aziz

    2018-01-01

    Oleic acid is a commercially valuable compound and has many positive health effects. Determining optimum conditions in a physical separation process is an industrially significant point due to environmental and health related concerns. Molecular distillation avoids the use of chemicals and adverse effects of high temperature application. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular distillation conditions for oleic acid to increase its purity and distillation yield in a model fatty acid mixture. For this purpose, a short-path evaporator column was used. Evaporation temperature ranged from 110 to 190℃, while absolute pressure was from 0.05 to 5 mmHg. Results showed that elevating temperature generally increased distillation yield until a maximum evaporation temperature. Vacuum application also affected the yield at a given temperature, and amount of distillate increased at higher vacuums except the case applied at 190℃. A multi-objective optimization procedure was then used for maximizing both yield and oleic acid amounts in distillate simultaneously, and an optimum point of 177.36℃ and 0.051 mmHg was determined for this purpose. Results also demonstrated that evaporation of oleic acid was also suppressed by a secondary dominant fatty acid of olive oil - palmitic acid, which tended to evaporate easier than oleic acid at lower evaporation temperatures, and increasing temperature achieved to transfer more oleic acid to distillate. At 110℃ and 0.05 mmHg, oleic and palmitic acid concentrations in distillate were 63.67% and 24.32%, respectively. Outcomes of this study are expected to be useful for industrial process conditions.

  10. Polyamines contribute to salinity tolerance in the symbiosis Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti by preventing oxidative damage.

    PubMed

    López-Gómez, Miguel; Hidalgo-Castellanos, Javier; Muñoz-Sánchez, J Rubén; Marín-Peña, Agustín J; Lluch, Carmen; Herrera-Cervera, José A

    2017-07-01

    Polyamines (PAs) such as spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) are small ubiquitous polycationic compounds that contribute to plant adaptation to salt stress. The positive effect of PAs has been associated to a cross-talk with other anti-stress hormones such as brassinosteroids (BRs). In this work we have studied the effects of exogenous Spd and Spm pre-treatments in the response to salt stress of the symbiotic interaction between Medicago truncatula and Sinorhizobium meliloti by analyzing parameters related to nitrogen fixation, oxidative damage and cross-talk with BRs in the response to salinity. Exogenous PAs treatments incremented the foliar and nodular Spd and Spm content which correlated with an increment of the nodule biomass and nitrogenase activity. Exogenous Spm treatment partially prevented proline accumulation which suggests that this polyamine could replace the role of this amino acid in the salt stress response. Additionally, Spd and Spm pre-treatments reduced the levels of H 2 O 2 and lipid peroxidation under salt stress. PAs induced the expression of genes involved in BRs biosynthesis which support a cross-talk between PAs and BRs in the salt stress response of M. truncatula-S. meliloti symbiosis. In conclusion, exogenous PAs improved the response to salinity of the M. truncatula-S. meliloti symbiosis by reducing the oxidative damage induced under salt stress conditions. In addition, in this work we provide evidences of the cross-talk between PAs and BRs in the adaptive responses to salinity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Chloride accumulation and swelling in endosomes enhances DNA transfer by polyamine-DNA polyplexes.

    PubMed

    Sonawane, N D; Szoka, Francis C; Verkman, A S

    2003-11-07

    The "proton sponge hypothesis" postulates enhanced transgene delivery by cationic polymer-DNA complexes (polyplexes) containing H+ buffering polyamines by enhanced endosomal Cl- accumulation and osmotic swelling/lysis. To test this hypothesis, we measured endosomal Cl- concentration, pH, and volume after internalization of polyplexes composed of plasmid DNA and polylysine (POL), a non-buffering polyamine, or the strongly buffering polyamines polyethylenimine (PEI) or polyamidoamine (PAM). [Cl-] and pH were measured by ratio imaging of fluorescently labeled polyplexes containing Cl- or pH indicators. [Cl-] increased from 41 to 80 mM over 60 min in endosomes-contained POL-polyplexes, whereas pH decreased from 6.8 to 5.3. Endosomal Cl- accumulation was enhanced (115 mM at 60 min) and acidification was slowed (pH 5.9 at 60 min) for PEI and PAM-polyplexes. Relative endosome volume increased 20% over 75 min for POL-polyplexes versus 140% for PEI-polyplexes. Endosome lysis was seen at >45 min for PEI but not POL-containing endosomes, and PEI-containing endosomes showed increased osmotic fragility in vitro. The slowed endosomal acidification and enhanced Cl- accumulation and swelling/lysis were accounted for by the greater H+ buffering capacity of endosomes containing PEI or PAM versus POL (>90 mM versus 46 H+/pH unit). Our results provide direct support for the proton sponge hypothesis and thus a rational basis for the design of improved non-viral vectors for gene delivery.

  12. ETHANOL, ACETIC ACID, AND WATER ADSORPTION FROM BINARY AND TERNARY LIQUID MIXTURES ON HIGH-SILICA ZEOLITES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Adsorption isotherms were measured for ethanol, acetic acid, and water adsorbed on high-silica ZSM-5 zeolite powder from binary and ternary liquid mixtures at room temperature. Ethanol and water adsorption on two high-silica ZSM-5 zeolites with different aluminum contents and a h...

  13. Cytotoxicity, DNA binding and localisation of novel bis-naphthalimidopropyl polyamine derivatives.

    PubMed

    Pavlov, V; Kong Thoo Lin, P; Rodilla, V

    2001-07-31

    Bis-naphthalimidopropyl spermidine (BNIPSpd), spermine (BNIPSpm) and oxa-spermine (BNIPOSpm) showed high in vitro cytotoxicity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells with IC(50) values of 1.38, 2.91 and 8.45 microM, respectively. These compounds were found to effectively displace the intercalating agent ethidium bromide bound to the calf thymus DNA using fluorimetric methods (C(50) 0.08-0.12 microM) and their apparent equilibrium binding constants (K(app)) were calculated to be in the range of 10.5-18 x 10(7) M(-1). Furthermore, strong stabilisation of calf thymus DNA duplex in the presence of bis-naphthalimidopropyl polyamine derivatives (BNIPSpd, BNIPSpm and BNIPOSpm) was observed by UV spectrophotometric analysis (T(m)=93.3-97 degrees C compared with 75 degrees C for calf thymus DNA without drug). Because of their inherent fluorescence, these compounds were localised preferentially inside the nucleus as evidenced by their direct observation under the fluorescence microscope. The results obtained suggest that the cytotoxic activity of the bis-naphthalimidopropyl polyamines may be in part, caused by their effects on DNA.

  14. Read-across of ready biodegradability based on the substrate specificity of N-alkyl polypropylene polyamine-degrading microorganisms.

    PubMed

    Geerts, R; van Ginkel, C G; Plugge, C M

    2017-04-01

    The biodegradation of N-alkyl polypropylene polyamines (NAPPs) was studied using pure and mixed cultures to enable read-across of ready biodegradability test results. Two Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from activated sludge with N-oleyl alkyl propylene diamine and N-coco alkyl dipropylene triamine, respectively. Both strains utilized all NAPPs tested as the sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy for growth. Mineralization of NAPPs was independent of the alkyl chain length and the size of the polyamine moiety. NAPPs degraded in closed bottle tests (CBTs) using both river water and activated sludge. However, ready biodegradability of NAPPs with alkyl chain lengths of 16-18 carbon atoms and polyamine moieties with three and four nitrogen atoms could not be demonstrated. Biodegradation in the CBT was hampered by their limited bioavailability, making assessment of the true ready biodegradability of these highly adsorptive surfactants impossible. All NAPPs are therefore classified as readily biodegradable through read-across. Read-across is justified by the broad substrate specificity of NAPP-degrading microorganisms, their omnipresence and the mineralization of NAPPs.

  15. Model-based design of an intermittent simulated moving bed process for recovering lactic acid from ternary mixture.

    PubMed

    Song, Mingkai; Cui, Linlin; Kuang, Han; Zhou, Jingwei; Yang, Pengpeng; Zhuang, Wei; Chen, Yong; Liu, Dong; Zhu, Chenjie; Chen, Xiaochun; Ying, Hanjie; Wu, Jinglan

    2018-08-10

    An intermittent simulated moving bed (3F-ISMB) operation scheme, the extension of the 3W-ISMB to the non-linear adsorption region, has been introduced for separation of glucose, lactic acid and acetic acid ternary-mixture. This work focuses on exploring the feasibility of the proposed process theoretically and experimentally. Firstly, the real 3F-ISMB model coupled with the transport dispersive model (TDM) and the Modified-Langmuir isotherm was established to build up the separation parameter plane. Subsequently, three operating conditions were selected from the plane to run the 3F-ISMB unit. The experimental results were used to verify the model. Afterwards, the influences of the various flow rates on the separation performances were investigated systematically by means of the validated 3F-ISMB model. The intermittent-retained component lactic acid was finally obtained with the purity of 98.5%, recovery of 95.5% and the average concentration of 38 g/L. The proposed 3F-ISMB process can efficiently separate the mixture with low selectivity into three fractions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Long-Distance Transport of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Is Concomitant with That of Polyamines1[OPEN

    PubMed Central

    Martinis, Jacopo; Gas-Pascual, Elisabet; Szydlowski, Nicolas; Crèvecoeur, Michèle; Gisler, Alexandra; Bürkle, Lukas; Fitzpatrick, Teresa B.

    2016-01-01

    Thiamine (vitamin B1) is ubiquitous and essential for cell energy supply in all organisms as a vital metabolic cofactor, known for over a century. In plants, it is established that biosynthesis de novo is taking place predominantly in green tissues and is furthermore limited to plastids. Therefore, transport mechanisms are required to mediate the movement of this polar metabolite from source to sink tissue to activate key enzymes in cellular energy generating pathways but are currently unknown. Similar to thiamine, polyamines are an essential set of charged molecules required for diverse aspects of growth and development, the homeostasis of which necessitates long-distance transport processes that have remained elusive. Here, a yeast-based screen allowed us to identify Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PUT3 as a thiamine transporter. A combination of biochemical, physiological, and genetic approaches permitted us to show that PUT3 mediates phloem transport of both thiamine and polyamines. Loss of function of PUT3 demonstrated that the tissue distribution of these metabolites is altered with growth and developmental consequences. The pivotal role of PUT3 mediated thiamine and polyamine homeostasis in plants, and its importance for plant fitness is revealed through these findings. PMID:27006489

  17. The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress.

    PubMed

    Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

    2016-01-01

    Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd.

  18. The Effect of Exogenous Spermidine Concentration on Polyamine Metabolism and Salt Tolerance in Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud) Subjected to Short-Term Salinity Stress

    PubMed Central

    Li, Shucheng; Jin, Han; Zhang, Qiang

    2016-01-01

    Salt stress, particularly short-term salt stress, is among the most serious abiotic factors limiting plant survival and growth in China. It has been established that exogenous spermidine (Spd) stimulates plant tolerance to salt stress. The present study utilized two zoysiagrass cultivars commonly grown in China that exhibit either sensitive (cv. Z081) or tolerant (cv. Z057) adaptation capacity to salt stress. The two cultivars were subjected to 200 mM salt stress and treated with different exogenous Spd concentrations for 8 days. Polyamine [diamine putrescine (Put), tetraamine spermine (Spm), and Spd], H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and polyamine metabolic (ADC, ODC, SAMDC, PAO, and DAO) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that salt stress induced increases in Spd and Spm contents and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in both cultivars. Exogenous Spd application did not alter polyamine contents via regulation of polyamine-degrading enzymes, and an increase in polyamine biosynthetic enzyme levels was observed during the experiment. Increasing the concentration of exogenous Spd resulted in a tendency of the Spd and Spm contents and ODC, SAMDC, DAO, and antioxidant enzyme activities to first increase and then decrease in both cultivars. H2O2 and MDA levels significantly decreased in both cultivars treated with Spd. Additionally, in both cultivars, positive correlations between polyamine biosynthetic enzymes (ADC, SAMDC), DAO, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), but negative correlations with H2O2 and MDA levels, and the Spd + Spm content were observed with an increase in the concentration of exogenous Spd. PMID:27582752

  19. Experimental study on thermal hazard of tributyl phosphate-nitric acid mixtures using micro calorimeter technique.

    PubMed

    Sun, Qi; Jiang, Lin; Gong, Liang; Sun, Jin-Hua

    2016-08-15

    During PUREX spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, mixture of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and hydrocarbon solvent are employed as organic solvent to extract uranium in consideration of radiation contaminated safety and resource recycling, meanwhile nitric acid is utilized to dissolve the spent fuel into small pieces. However, once TBP contacts with nitric acid or nitrates above 130°C, a heavy "red oil" layer would occur accompanied by thermal runaway reactions, even caused several nuclear safety accident. Considering nitric acid volatility and weak exothermic detection, C80micro calorimeter technique was used in this study to investigate thermal decomposition of TBP mixed with nitric acid. Results show that the concentration of nitric acid greatly influences thermal hazard of the system by direct reactions. Even with a low heating rate, if the concentration of nitric acid increases due to evaporation of water or improper operations, thermal runaway in the closed system could start at a low temperature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Spermine modulates the expression of two probable polyamine transporter genes and determines growth responses to cadaverine in Arabidopsis.

    PubMed

    Sagor, G H M; Berberich, Thomas; Kojima, Seiji; Niitsu, Masaru; Kusano, Tomonobu

    2016-06-01

    Two genes, LAT1 and OCT1 , are likely to be involved in polyamine transport in Arabidopsis. Endogenous spermine levels modulate their expression and determine the sensitivity to cadaverine. Arabidopsis spermine (Spm) synthase (SPMS) gene-deficient mutant was previously shown to be rather resistant to the diamine cadaverine (Cad). Furthermore, a mutant deficient in polyamine oxidase 4 gene, accumulating about twofold more of Spm than wild type plants, showed increased sensitivity to Cad. It suggests that endogenous Spm content determines growth responses to Cad in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we showed that Arabidopsis seedlings pretreated with Spm absorbs more Cad and has shorter root growth, and that the transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the SPMS gene are hypersensitive to Cad, further supporting the above idea. The transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing L-Amino acid Transporter 1 (LAT1) absorbed more Cad and showed increased Cad sensitivity, suggesting that LAT1 functions as a Cad importer. Recently, other research group reported that Organic Cation Transporter 1 (OCT1) is a causal gene which determines the Cad sensitivity of various Arabidopsis accessions. Furthermore, their results suggested that OCT1 is involved in Cad efflux. Thus we monitored the expression of OCT1 and LAT1 during the above experiments. Based on the results, we proposed a model in which the level of Spm content modulates the expression of OCT1 and LAT1, and determines Cad sensitivity of Arabidopsis.

  1. High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of dansyl-polyamines

    Treesearch

    Subhash C. Minocha; Rakesh Minocha; Cheryl A. Robie

    1990-01-01

    This paper describes a fast reliable, and a sensitive technique for the separation and quantification of dansylated polyamines by high-performance liquid chromatography. Using a small 33 x 4.6 mm I.D., 3 ?m particle size, C18 reversed-phase cartridge column and a linear gradient of acetonitrile-heptanesulfonate (10 mM, pH 3.4...

  2. A novel polyamine allosteric site of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae is revealed by its dodecameric structure

    PubMed Central

    Filippova, Ekaterina V.; Kuhn, Misty L.; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Kiryukhina, Olga; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Ballicora, Miguel A.

    2015-01-01

    Spermidine N-acetyltransferase, encoded by the gene speG, catalyzes the initial step in the degradation of polyamines and is a critical enzyme for determining the polyamine concentrations in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, studies have shown that SpeG is the enzyme responsible for acetylating spermidine under stress conditions and for preventing spermidine toxicity. Not all bacteria contain speG, and many bacterial pathogens have developed strategies to either acquire or silence it for pathogenesis. Here, we present thorough kinetic analyses combined with structural characterization of the VCA0947 SpeG enzyme from the important human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Our studies revealed the unexpected presence of a previously unknown allosteric site and an unusual dodecameric structure for a member of the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) superfamily. We show that SpeG forms dodecamers in solution and in crystals and describe its three-dimensional structure in several ligand-free and liganded structures. Importantly, these structural data define the first view of a polyamine bound in an allosteric site of an N-acetyltransferase. Kinetic characterization of SpeG from V. cholerae showed that it acetylates spermidine and spermine. The behavior of this enzyme is complex and exhibits sigmoidal curves and substrate inhibition. We performed a detailed non-linear regression kinetic analysis to simultaneously fit families of substrate saturation curves to uncover a simple kinetic mechanism that explains the apparent complexity of this enzyme. Our results provide a fundamental understanding of the bacterial SpeG enzyme, which will be key towards understanding the regulation of polyamine levels in bacteria during pathogenesis. PMID:25623305

  3. Enthalpy-entropy compensation for the solubility of drugs in solvent mixtures: paracetamol, acetanilide, and nalidixic acid in dioxane-water.

    PubMed

    Bustamante, P; Romero, S; Pena, A; Escalera, B; Reillo, A

    1998-12-01

    In earlier work, a nonlinear enthalpy-entropy compensation was observed for the solubility of phenacetin in dioxane-water mixtures. This effect had not been earlier reported for the solubility of drugs in solvent mixtures. To gain insight into the compensation effect, the behavior of the apparent thermodynamic magnitudes for the solubility of paracetamol, acetanilide, and nalidixic acid is studied in this work. The solubility of these drugs was measured at several temperatures in dioxane-water mixtures. DSC analysis was performed on the original powders and on the solid phases after equilibration with the solvent mixture. The thermal properties of the solid phases did not show significant changes. The three drugs display a solubility maximum against the cosolvent ratio. The solubility peaks of acetanilide and nalidixic acid shift to a more polar region at the higher temperatures. Nonlinear van't Hoff plots were observed for nalidixic acid whereas acetanilide and paracetamol show linear behavior at the temperature range studied. The apparent enthalpies of solution are endothermic going through a maximum at 50% dioxane. Two different mechanisms, entropy and enthalpy, are suggested to be the driving forces that increase the solubility of the three drugs. Solubility is entropy controlled at the water-rich region (0-50% dioxane) and enthalpy controlled at the dioxane-rich region (50-100% dioxane). The enthalpy-entropy compensation analysis also suggests that two different mechanisms, dependent on cosolvent ratio, are involved in the solubility enhancement of the three drugs. The plots of deltaH versus deltaG are nonlinear, and the slope changes from positive to negative above 50% dioxane. The compensation effect for the thermodynamic magnitudes of transfer from water to the aqueous mixtures can be described by a common empirical nonlinear relationship, with the exception of paracetamol, which follows a separate linear relationship at dioxane ratios above 50%. The

  4. Effects of eye drops containing a mixture of omega-3 essential fatty acids and hyaluronic acid on the ocular surface in desiccating stress-induced murine dry eye.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhengri; Choi, Jung-Han; Oh, Han-Jin; Park, Soo-Hyun; Lee, Jee-Bum; Yoon, Kyung Chul

    2014-09-01

    To investigate the efficacy of the topical application of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and hyaluronic acid (HA) mixtures in a mouse model of experimental dry eye (EDE). Eye drops consisting of 0.1% HA, 0.02%, or 0.2% omega-3 EFAs alone and mixture of 0.02%, or 0.2% omega-3 EFAs and 0.1% HA were applied in desiccating stress-induced murine dry eye. Corneal irregularity scores and fluorescein staining scores were measured 5 and 10 days after treatment. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, -17, and interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10 were measured in the conjunctiva at 10 days using a multiplex immunobead assay. The concentrations of hexanoyl-lys (HEL) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in conjunctiva tissue were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Mice treated with the mixture containing 0.2% omega-3 EFAs showed a significant improvement in corneal irregularity scores and corneal fluorescein staining scores compared with EDE, HA, 0.02% or 0.2% omega-3 EFAs alone, and 0.02% omega-3 EFAs mixture-treated mice. A significant decrease in the levels of IL-1β, -17, and IP-10 were observed in the 0.2% EFAs mixture-treated group, compared with the other groups. In the mice treated with the mixture containing 0.2% omega-3 EFAs, the concentration of 4-HNE was also lower than the other groups. Although 0.2% omega-3 EFAs alone group also had a significant improvement in corneal irregularity scores and IL-17, IL-10, and 4 HNE levels compared with the other groups, the efficacy was lower than 0.2% omega-3 mixture group. Topically applied eye drops containing a mixture of omega-3 EFAs and HA could improve corneal irregularity and corneal epithelial barrier disruption, and decrease inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers on the ocular surface. Topical omega-3 EFAs and HA mixture may have a greater therapeutic effect on clinical signs and inflammation of dry eye compared with HA artificial tears.

  5. Quantitation of polyamines in cultured cells and tissue homogenates by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of their benzoyl derivatives.

    PubMed

    Verkoelen, C F; Romijn, J C; Schroeder, F H; van Schalkwijk, W P; Splinter, T A

    1988-04-08

    A rapid and simple method, originally described by Redmond and Tseng [J. Chromatogr., 170 (1979) 479] was applied to the analysis of di- and polyamines in cultured human tumour cells and human tumour xenografts. Optimization of the procedures and evaluation of the characteristic features of the assay are described. The (modified) procedure employs precolumn derivatization with benzoyl chloride, extraction of the derivatives by chloroform, separation by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography under isocratic conditions and detection by ultraviolet absorbance measurement at 229 nm. The complete analysis was accomplished within 10 min per sample. The detection limit was ca. 1 pmol. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 2.5-4.4% and 3.4-13.1%, respectively. The presence of well known inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis, such as DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), did not interfere with the assay, and disturbance by cyclohexylamine could be avoided by changing the polarity of the mobile phase. The method proved to be very suitable because it is rapid, simple, requires a minimum of sample pretreatment, and still provides sufficient sensitivity to quantitate polyamines in relatively small amounts of cells (10(5) cells) or tumour tissues (less than 1 mg), even after treatment with inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis.

  6. The interaction of diamines and polyamines with the peroxidase-catalyzed metabolism of aromatic amines: a potential mechanism for the modulation of aniline toxicity.

    PubMed

    Michail, Karim; Aljuhani, Naif; Siraki, Arno G

    2013-03-01

    Synthetic and biological amines such as ethylenediamine (EDA), spermine, and spermidine have not been previously investigated in free-radical biochemical systems involving aniline-based drugs or xenobiotics. We aimed to study the influence of polyamines in the modulation of aromatic amine radical metabolites in peroxidase-mediated free radical reactions. The aniline compounds tested caused a relatively low oxidation rate of glutathione in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and H2O2; however, they demonstrated marked oxygen consumption when a polyamine molecule was present. Next, we characterized the free-radical products generated by these reactions using spin-trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry. Primary and secondary but not tertiary polyamines dose-dependently enhanced the N-centered radicals of different aniline compounds catalyzed by either HRP or myeloperoxidase, which we believe occurred via charge transfer intermediates and subsequent stabilization of aniline-derived radical species as suggested by isotopically labeled aniline. Aniline/peroxidase reaction product(s) were monitored at 435 nm by kinetic spectrophotometry in the presence and absence of a polyamine additive. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the dimerziation product of aniline, azobenzene, was significantly amplified when EDA was present. In conclusion, di- and poly-amines are capable of enhancing the formation of aromatic-amine-derived free radicals, a fact that is expected to have toxicological consequences.

  7. METABOLISM OF N-ALKYLATED SPERMINE ANALOGUES BY POLYAMINE AND SPERMINE OXIDASES

    PubMed Central

    Häkkinen, Merja R.; Hyvönen, Mervi T.; Auriola, Seppo; Casero, Robert A.; Vepsäläinen, Jouko; Khomutov, Alex R.; Alhonen, Leena; Keinänen, Tuomo A.

    2010-01-01

    SUMMARY N-alkylated polyamine analogues have potential as anticancer and antiparasitic drugs. However, their metabolism in the host has remained incompletely defined thus potentially limiting their utility. Here, we have studied the degradation of three different spermine analogues N,N′-bis-(3-ethylaminopropyl)butane-1,4-diamine (DESPM), N-(3-benzyl-aminopropyl)-N'-(3-ethylaminopropyl)butane-1,4-diamine (BnEtSPM) and N,N′-bis-(3-benzylaminopropyl)butane-1,4-diamine (DBSPM) and related mono-alkylated derivatives as substrates of recombinant human polyamine oxidase (APAO) and spermine oxidase (SMO). APAO and SMO metabolized DESPM to EtSPD (Km(APAO)=10μM, kcat(APAO)=1.1s−1 and Km(SMO)=28μM, kcat(SMO)=0.8s−1, respectively), metabolized BnEtSPM to EtSPD (Km(APAO)=0.9 μM, kcat(APAO)=1.1s−1 and Km(SMO)=51μM, kcat(SMO)=0.4s−1, respectively), and metabolized DBSPM to BnSPD (Km(APAO)=5.4μM, kcat(APAO)= 2.0s−1 and Km(SMO)=33μM, kcat(SMO)=0.3s−1, respectively). Interestingly, mono-alkylated spermine derivatives were metabolized by APAO and SMO to SPD (EtSPM Km(APAO)=16μM, kcat(APAO)=1.5s−1; Km(SMO)=25μM, kcat(SMO) =8.2s−1; BnSPM Km(APAO)=6.0μM, kcat(APAO)=2.8s−1; Km(SMO)=19μM, kcat(SMO)=0.8s−1, respectively). Surprisingly, E t S P D ( Km(APAO)=37μM, kcat(APAO)=0.1s−1; Km(SMO)=48μM, kcat(SMO)=0.05s−1) and BnSPD (Km(APAO)=2.5μM, kcat(APAO)=3.5s−1; Km(SMO)=60μM, kcat(SMO)=0.54s−1) were metabolized to SPD by both the oxidases. Furthermore, we studied the degradation of DESPM, BnEtSPM or DBSPM in the DU145 prostate carcinoma cell line. The same major metabolites EtSPD and/or BnSPD were detected both in the culture medium and intracellularly after 48 hours of culture. Moreover, EtSPM and BnSPM were detected from cell samples. Present data shows that inducible SMO parallel with APAO could play an important role in polyamine based drug action, i.e. degradation of parent drug and its metabolites, having significant impact on efficiency of

  8. The effect of Centella asiatica, vitamins, glycolic acid and their mixtures preparations in stimulating collagen and fibronectin synthesis in cultured human skin fibroblast.

    PubMed

    Hashim, Puziah

    2014-03-01

    Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban is well known in promoting wound healing and provides significant benefits in skin care and therapeutic products formulation. Glycolic acid and vitamins also play a role in the enhancement of collagen and fibronectin synthesis. Here, we evaluate the specific effect of Centella asiatica (CA), vitamins, glycolic acid and their mixture preparations to stimulate collagen and fibronectin synthesis in cultured human fibroblast cells. The fibroblast cells are incubated with CA, glycolic acid, vitamins and their mixture preparations for 48 h. The cell lysates were analyzed for protein content and collagen synthesis by direct binding enzyme immunoassay. The fibronectin of the cultured supernatant was measured by sandwich enzyme immunoassay. The results showed that CA, glycolic acid, vitamins A, E and C significantly stimulate collagen and fibronectin synthesis in the fibroblast. Addition of glycolic acid and vitamins to CA further increased the levels of collagen and fibronectin synthesis to 8.55 and 23.75 μg/100 μg, respectively. CA, glycolic acid, vitamins A, E, and C, and their mixtures demonstrated stimulatory effect on both extra-cellular matrix synthesis of collagen and fibronectin in in vitro studies on human foreskin fibroblasts, which is beneficial to skin care and therapeutic products formulation.

  9. Fatty acid composition of ruminal digesta and longissimus muscle from lambs fed silage mixtures including red clover, sainfoin, and timothy.

    PubMed

    Campidonico, L; Toral, P G; Priolo, A; Luciano, G; Valenti, B; Hervás, G; Frutos, P; Copani, G; Ginane, C; Niderkorn, V

    2016-04-01

    This work investigated the effects of feeding silage mixtures of a plant containing polyphenol oxidase (PPO; red clover [; RC]), a plant containing tannins (sainfoin [; SF]), and a grass species not containing these compounds (timothy [; T]) on ruminal and intramuscular (i.m.) fatty acids of lambs. Forty 4-mo-old castrated male Romane lambs, divided into 5 groups, received 1 of the following silages: 1) T (100%), 2) a binary mixture of timothy and tannin-containing sainfoin ( cv. Perly; 50:50 [T-SF]), 3) a binary mixture of timothy and PPO-containing red clover ( cv. Mervius; 50:50 [T-RC]), 4) a ternary mixture of timothy, sainfoin, and red clover containing both tannins and PPO (50:25:25, respectively [T-SF-RC]), and 5) a binary mixture of tannin-containing sainfoin and PPO-containing red clover (50:50 [SF-RC]). In the rumen digesta, the partial or total replacement of T with forage legumes was associated with greater concentrations of PUFA ( < 0.001) and 1esser concentrations of MUFA ( < 0.001). The inclusion of forage legumes in the silage favored the accumulation of 18:3 -3 ( < 0.001), with the greatest concentrations being observed in SF-RC. This latter diet also led to the greatest percentage of 18:2 -6 ( < 0.001). Forage legumes decreased the -11 18:1 to 30% of T in rumen digesta ( < 0.001). Forage legumes decreased the total concentration of branched-chain fatty acids in the rumen digesta (on average, -28%; < 0.001), this effect being less marked (-17%; = 0.014) in T-RC in comparison with T. The dietary treatment tended to affect the proportion of MUFA ( = 0.081) and of PUFA ( = 0.079) in the i.m. fat of the LM, respectively, at the highest and lowest numerical value in the T group. The sum of -3 fatty acids was less in the T and T-SF groups compared with the mixture of legumes without T (SF-RC; < 0.001 and < 0.008, respectively). The latter group had also a lesser -6-to--3 ratio than the T-SF group ( = 0.01). -11 18:1 was greater ( < 0.03) in lambs given T

  10. A mass spectrometric method to determine activities of enzymes involved in polyamine catabolism.

    PubMed

    Moriya, Shunsuke; Iwasaki, Kaori; Samejima, Keijiro; Takao, Koichi; Kohda, Kohfuku; Hiramatsu, Kyoko; Kawakita, Masao

    2012-10-20

    An analytical method for the determination of three polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) and five acetylpolyamines [N(1)-acetylspermidine (N(1)AcSpd), N(8)-acetylspermidine (N(8)AcSpd), N(1)-acetylspermine, N(1),N(8)-diacetylspermidine, and N(1),N(12)-diacetylspermine] involved in the polyamine catabolic pathway has been developed using a hybrid tandem mass spectrometer. Heptafluorobutyryl (HFB) derivatives of these compounds and respective internal standards labeled with stable isotopes were analyzed simultaneously by TOF MS, based on peak areas appearing at appropriate m/z values. The isomers, N(1)AcSpd and N(8)AcSpd were determined from their fragment ions, the acetylamidopropyl and acetylamidobutyl groups, respectively, using MS/MS with (13)C(2)-N(1)AcSpd and (13)C(2)-N(8)AcSpd which have the (13)C(2)-acetyl group as an internal standard. The TOF MS method was successfully applied to measure the activity of enzymes involved in polyamine catabolic pathways, namely N(1)-acetylpolyamine oxidase (APAO), spermine oxidase (SMO), and spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT). The following natural substrates and products labeled with stable isotopes considering the application to biological samples were identified; for APAO, [4,9,12-(15)N(3)]-N(1)-acetylspermine and [1,4,8-(15)N(3)]spermidine ((15)N(3)-Spd), respectively; for SMO, [1,4,8,12-(15)N(4)]spermine and (15)N(3)-Spd, respectively; and for SSAT, (15)N(3)-Spd and [1,4,8-(15)N(3)]-N(1)-acetylspermidine, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Validating the efficacy of peracetic acid mixture as an antimicrobial in poultry chillers.

    PubMed

    Bauermeister, Laura J; Bowers, Jordan W J; Townsend, Julie C; McKee, Shelly R

    2008-06-01

    Peracetic acid mixture (PAHP), which is a combination of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, has been approved as an antimicrobial for use in poultry chillers. To validate its effectiveness, 85 ppm of PAHP was compared with the 30-ppm chlorine treatment in a commercial setting. In this trial, 100 carcasses were sampled for Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. prior to chilling and 100 carcasses were sampled after chilling. In all, 400 carcasses were sampled using 85 ppm of PAHP in the chiller and 400 carcasses were sampled using the chlorine treatment. PAHP at 85 ppm reduced Salmonella-positive carcasses by 92% exiting the chiller, whereas treatment with 30 ppm of chlorine reduced Salmonella by 57%. Additionally, PAHP reduced Campylobacter species-positive carcasses exiting the chiller by 43% while chlorine resulted in a 13% reduction. These results suggest that peracetic acid in combination with hydrogen peroxide may be an effective antimicrobial in poultry chiller applications.

  12. Effect of inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis by DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine on the growth and melanogenesis of B16 melanoma in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Sunkara, P S; Chang, C C; Prakash, N J; Lachmann, P J

    1985-09-01

    The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of polyamine depletion by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, on the growth and differentiation of B16 melanoma cells grown in culture and also as solid tumors in mice. Polyamine depletion by DFMO (2.5 mM) resulted in a complete inhibition of cell growth in culture and a 90% inhibition of viability of melanoma cells as determined by clonogenic assay at the end of 7 days after DFMO treatment. These results indicate that polyamine depletion induced by DFMO is cytotoxic to B16 melanoma cells in culture. Furthermore a 2- to 5-fold increase in tyrosinase activity and 10-fold accumulation of melanine were observed in polyamine depleted cells compared to control cultures. These effects of DFMO could easily be reversed by the addition of putrescine simultaneously with DFMO. Administration of different doses of DFMO in drinking water to B16 melanoma tumor bearing mice also resulted in an increase in tyrosinase activity and a dose dependent inhibition (86-90%) of tumor growth. Although one cannot rule out the possibility of induction of differentiated phenotype as a result of antiproliferative activity of DFMO, the data presented indicate that the unique sensitivity of melanoma to DFMO may be due to a combination of cell growth inhibition and concomitant induction of differentiation upon polyamine depletion. The results of the present study indicate that polyamines play an important role in growth and differentiation of melanoma and also provide an example of inhibition of tumor cell growth by induction of cellular differentiation.

  13. Comparison of the effects of Mylabris and Acanthopanax senticosus on promising cancer marker polyamines in plasma of a Hepatoma-22 mouse model using HPLC-ESI-MS.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qian; Wang, Yixiang; Liu, Ran; Yan, Xu; Li, Yujiao; Fu, Hui; Bi, Kaishun; Li, Qing

    2013-02-01

    A simple and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of plasma concentrations of five polyamines in normal and Hepatoma-22 mice, and mice treated with Mylabris and Acanthopanax senticosus was developed by HPLC-ESI-MS. Male Kunming mice were divided into nine groups, a control group (inoculation without treatment), a positive group (Cyclophosphamide), treatment groups [Mylabris (4, 8, 16 mg/kg), Acanthopanax senticosus (6, 12, 24 g/kg)] and a normal group (without inoculation). Twenty-four hours after the last administration, plasma samples were collected. The derived polyamines were separated on a C(18) column by a gradient elution using methanol-water with excellent linearity within the range from 2.5 to 1000 ng/mL. Polyamines were confirmed as useful biochemical markers of hepatoma. The differences in anti-cancer therapeutic efficacy between Mylabris and Acanthopanax senticosus might contribute to the variability of polyamine levels in vivo. This HPLC-ESI-MS method was successfully applied to investigate the relationship between polyamines and cancer in mice and might be a useful method to test the activity of potential anti-tumor drugs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Polyamines as Possible Modulators of Gravity-induced Calcium Transport in Plants

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Galston, A. W.; Slocum, R. D.

    1985-01-01

    Data from various laboratories indicate a probable relationship between calcium movement and some aspects of graviperception and tropistic bending responses. The movement of calcium in response to gravistimulation appears to be rapid, polar and opposite in direction to polar auxin transport. What might be the cause of such rapid Ca(2+) movement? Data from studies on polyamine (PA) metabolism may furnish a clue. A transient increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and titers of various PAs occurs within 60 seconds after hormonal stimulation of animal cells, followed by Ca(2+) transport out of the cells. Through the use of specific inhibitors, it was shown that the enhanced PA synthesis from ODC was essential not only for Ca(2+) transport, but also for Ca(2+) transport-dependent endocytosis and the movement of hexoses and amino acids across the plasmalemma. In plants, rapid changes in arginine decarboxylase (ADC) activity occur in response to various plant stresses. Physical stresses associated with gravisensor displacement and reorientation of a plant in the gravitational field could similarly activate ADC and that resultant increases in PA levels might initiate transient perturbations in Ca(2+) homeostasis.

  15. Molecular dynamics investigation of separation of hydrogen sulfide from acidic gas mixtures inside metal-doped graphite micropores.

    PubMed

    Huang, Pei-Hsing

    2015-09-21

    The separation of poisonous compounds from various process fluids has long been highly intractable, motivating the present study on the dynamic separation of H2S in acidic-gas-mixture-filled micropores. The molecular dynamics approach, coupled with the isothermal-isochoric ensemble, was used to model the molecular interactions and adsorption of H2S/CO2/CO/H2O mixtures inside metal-doped graphite slits. Due to the difference in the adsorption characteristics between the two distinct adsorbent materials, the metal dopant in the graphitic micropores leads to competitive adsorption, i.e. the Au and graphite walls compete to capture free adsorbates. The effects of competitive adsorption, coupled with changes in the gas temperature, concentration, constituent ratio and slit width on the constituent separation of mixtures were systematically studied. The molecule-wall binding energies calculated in this work (those of H2S, H2O and CO on Au walls and those of H2O, CO and CO2 on graphite walls) show good agreement with those obtained using density functional theory (DFT) and experimental results. The z-directional self-diffusivities (Dz) for adsorbates inside the slit ranged from 10(-9) to 10(-7) m(2) s(-1) as the temperature was increased from 10 to 500 K. The values are comparable with those for a typical microporous fluid (10(-8)-10(-9) m(2) s(-1) in a condensed phase and 10(-6)-10(-7) m(2) s(-1) in the gaseous state). The formation of H-bonding networks and hydrates of H2S is disadvantageous for the separation of mixtures. The results indicate that H2S can be efficiently separated from acidic gas mixtures onto the Au(111) surface by (i) reducing the mole fraction of H2S and H2O in the mixtures, (ii) raising the gas temperature to the high temperature limit (≥400 K), and (iii) lowering the slit width to below the threshold dimension (≤23.26 Å).

  16. A novel polyamine allosteric site of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae is revealed by Its dodecameric structure

    DOE PAGES

    Filippova, Ekaterina V.; Kuhn, Misty L.; Osipiuk, Jerzy; ...

    2015-01-23

    Spermidine N-acetyltransferase, encoded by the gene speG, catalyzes the initial step in the degradation of polyamines and is a critical enzyme for determining the polyamine concentrations in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, studies have shown that SpeG is the enzyme responsible for acetylating spermidine under stress conditions and for preventing spermidine toxicity. Not all bacteria contain speG, and many bacterial pathogens have developed strategies to either acquire or silence it for pathogenesis. Here, we present thorough kinetic analyses combined with structural characterization of the VCA0947 SpeG enzyme from the important human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Our studies revealed the unexpected presence ofmore » a previously unknown allosteric site and an unusual dodecameric structure for a member of the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase superfamily. We show that SpeG forms dodecamers in solution and in crystals and describe its three-dimensional structure in several ligand-free and liganded structures. Importantly, these structural data define the first view of a polyamine bound in an allosteric site of an N-acetyltransferase. Kinetic characterization of SpeG from V. cholerae showed that it acetylates spermidine and spermine. The behavior of this enzyme is complex and exhibits sigmoidal curves and substrate inhibition. We performed a detailed non-linear regression kinetic analysis to simultaneously fit families of substrate saturation curves to uncover a simple kinetic mechanism that explains the apparent complexity of this enzyme. Our results provide a fundamental understanding of the bacterial SpeG enzyme, which will be key toward understanding the regulation of polyamine levels in bacteria during pathogenesis.« less

  17. Evolution and Multifarious Horizontal Transfer of an Alternative Biosynthetic Pathway for the Alternative Polyamine sym-Homospermidine*♦

    PubMed Central

    Shaw, Frances L.; Elliott, Katherine A.; Kinch, Lisa N.; Fuell, Christine; Phillips, Margaret A.; Michael, Anthony J.

    2010-01-01

    Polyamines are small flexible organic polycations found in almost all cells. They likely existed in the last universal common ancestor of all extant life, and yet relatively little is understood about their biological function, especially in bacteria and archaea. Unlike eukaryotes, where the predominant polyamine is spermidine, bacteria may contain instead an alternative polyamine, sym-homospermidine. We demonstrate that homospermidine synthase (HSS) has evolved vertically, primarily in the α-Proteobacteria, but enzymatically active, diverse HSS orthologues have spread by horizontal gene transfer to other bacteria, bacteriophage, archaea, eukaryotes, and viruses. By expressing diverse HSS orthologues in Escherichia coli, we demonstrate in vivo the production of co-products diaminopropane and N1-aminobutylcadaverine, in addition to sym-homospermidine. We show that sym-homospermidine is required for normal growth of the α-proteobacterium Rhizobium leguminosarum. However, sym-homospermidine can be replaced, for growth restoration, by the structural analogues spermidine and sym-norspermidine, suggesting that the symmetrical or unsymmetrical form and carbon backbone length are not critical for polyamine function in growth. We found that the HSS enzyme evolved from the alternative spermidine biosynthetic pathway enzyme carboxyspermidine dehydrogenase. The structure of HSS is related to lysine metabolic enzymes, and HSS and carboxyspermidine dehydrogenase evolved from the aspartate family of pathways. Finally, we show that other bacterial phyla such as Cyanobacteria and some α-Proteobacteria synthesize sym-homospermidine by an HSS-independent pathway, very probably based on deoxyhypusine synthase orthologues, similar to the alternative homospermidine synthase found in some plants. Thus, bacteria can contain alternative biosynthetic pathways for both spermidine and sym-norspermidine and distinct alternative pathways for sym-homospermidine. PMID:20194510

  18. A novel polyamine allosteric site of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae is revealed by Its dodecameric structure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Filippova, Ekaterina V.; Kuhn, Misty L.; Osipiuk, Jerzy

    Spermidine N-acetyltransferase, encoded by the gene speG, catalyzes the initial step in the degradation of polyamines and is a critical enzyme for determining the polyamine concentrations in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, studies have shown that SpeG is the enzyme responsible for acetylating spermidine under stress conditions and for preventing spermidine toxicity. Not all bacteria contain speG, and many bacterial pathogens have developed strategies to either acquire or silence it for pathogenesis. Here, we present thorough kinetic analyses combined with structural characterization of the VCA0947 SpeG enzyme from the important human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Our studies revealed the unexpected presence ofmore » a previously unknown allosteric site and an unusual dodecameric structure for a member of the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase superfamily. We show that SpeG forms dodecamers in solution and in crystals and describe its three-dimensional structure in several ligand-free and liganded structures. Importantly, these structural data define the first view of a polyamine bound in an allosteric site of an N-acetyltransferase. Kinetic characterization of SpeG from V. cholerae showed that it acetylates spermidine and spermine. The behavior of this enzyme is complex and exhibits sigmoidal curves and substrate inhibition. We performed a detailed non-linear regression kinetic analysis to simultaneously fit families of substrate saturation curves to uncover a simple kinetic mechanism that explains the apparent complexity of this enzyme. Our results provide a fundamental understanding of the bacterial SpeG enzyme, which will be key toward understanding the regulation of polyamine levels in bacteria during pathogenesis.« less

  19. A novel polyamine allosteric site of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae is revealed by its dodecameric structure.

    PubMed

    Filippova, Ekaterina V; Kuhn, Misty L; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Kiryukhina, Olga; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Ballicora, Miguel A; Anderson, Wayne F

    2015-03-27

    Spermidine N-acetyltransferase, encoded by the gene speG, catalyzes the initial step in the degradation of polyamines and is a critical enzyme for determining the polyamine concentrations in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, studies have shown that SpeG is the enzyme responsible for acetylating spermidine under stress conditions and for preventing spermidine toxicity. Not all bacteria contain speG, and many bacterial pathogens have developed strategies to either acquire or silence it for pathogenesis. Here, we present thorough kinetic analyses combined with structural characterization of the VCA0947 SpeG enzyme from the important human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Our studies revealed the unexpected presence of a previously unknown allosteric site and an unusual dodecameric structure for a member of the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase superfamily. We show that SpeG forms dodecamers in solution and in crystals and describe its three-dimensional structure in several ligand-free and liganded structures. Importantly, these structural data define the first view of a polyamine bound in an allosteric site of an N-acetyltransferase. Kinetic characterization of SpeG from V. cholerae showed that it acetylates spermidine and spermine. The behavior of this enzyme is complex and exhibits sigmoidal curves and substrate inhibition. We performed a detailed non-linear regression kinetic analysis to simultaneously fit families of substrate saturation curves to uncover a simple kinetic mechanism that explains the apparent complexity of this enzyme. Our results provide a fundamental understanding of the bacterial SpeG enzyme, which will be key toward understanding the regulation of polyamine levels in bacteria during pathogenesis. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. In vitro and direct in vivo testing of mixture-based combinatorial libraries for the identification of highly active and specific opiate ligands.

    PubMed

    Houghten, Richard A; Dooley, Colette T; Appel, Jon R

    2006-05-26

    The use of combinatorial libraries for the identification of novel opiate and related ligands in opioid receptor assays is reviewed. Case studies involving opioid assays used to demonstrate the viability of combinatorial libraries are described. The identification of new opioid peptides composed of L-amino acids, D-amino acids, or L-, D-, and unnatural amino acids is reviewed. New opioid compounds have also been identified from peptidomimetic libraries, such as peptoids and alkylated dipeptides, and those identified from acyclic (eg, polyamine, urea) and heterocyclic (eg, bicyclic guanidine) libraries are reviewed.

  1. Polyamine Metabolism and Oxidative Protein Folding in the ER as ROS-Producing Systems Neglected in Virology

    PubMed Central

    Smirnova, Olga A.; Bartosch, Birke; Zakirova, Natalia F.; Kochetkov, Sergey N.

    2018-01-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in various cell compartments by an array of enzymes and processes. An excess of ROS production can be hazardous for normal cell functioning, whereas at normal levels, ROS act as vital regulators of many signal transduction pathways and transcription factors. ROS production is affected by a wide range of viruses. However, to date, the impact of viral infections has been studied only in respect to selected ROS-generating enzymes. The role of several ROS-generating and -scavenging enzymes or cellular systems in viral infections has never been addressed. In this review, we focus on the roles of biogenic polyamines and oxidative protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and their interplay with viruses. Polyamines act as ROS scavengers, however, their catabolism is accompanied by H2O2 production. Hydrogen peroxide is also produced during oxidative protein folding, with ER oxidoreductin 1 (Ero1) being a major source of oxidative equivalents. In addition, Ero1 controls Ca2+ efflux from the ER in response to e.g., ER stress. Here, we briefly summarize the current knowledge on the physiological roles of biogenic polyamines and the role of Ero1 at the ER, and present available data on their interplay with viral infections. PMID:29673197

  2. Polyamines are traps for reactive intermediates in furan metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Peterson, Lisa A.; Phillips, Martin B.; Lu, Ding; Sullivan, Mathilde M.

    2011-01-01

    Furan is toxic and carcinogenic in rodents. Because of the large potential for human exposure, furan is classified as a possible human carcinogen. The detailed mechanism by which furan causes toxicity and cancer is not yet known. Since furan toxicity requires cytochrome P450-catalyzed oxidation of furan, we have characterized the urinary and hepatocyte metabolites of furan to gain insight into the chemical nature of the reactive intermediate. Previous studies in hepatocytes indicated that furan is oxidized to the reactive α,β-unsaturated dialdehyde, cis-2-butene-1,4-dial (BDA), which reacts with glutathione (GSH) to form 2-(S-glutathionyl)-succinaldehyde (GSH-BDA). This intermediate forms pyrrole cross-links with cellular amines such as lysine and glutamine. In this report, we demonstrate that GSH-BDA also forms cross-links with ornithine, putrescine and spermidine when furan is incubated with rat hepatocytes. The relative levels of these metabolites are not completely explained by hepatocellular levels of the amines or by their reactivity with GSH-BDA. Mercapturic acid derivatives of the spermidine cross-links were detected in the urine of furan-treated rats, which indicates that this metabolic pathway occurs in vivo. Their detection in furan-treated hepatocytes and in urine from furan-treated rats indicates that polyamines may play an important role in the toxicity of furan PMID:21842885

  3. MIXING RATIO INFLUENCES HALOACETIC ACID (HAA) MIXTURE TOXICITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Mixtures of the same type (for example, disinfection byproduct mixtures) often contain the same chemicals, but at varying concentrations. The objective of the present study was to examine the influence of mixing ratio (the concentrations of chemicals relative to one another) on ...

  4. Phase behavior of binary mixture systems of saturated-unsaturated mixed-acid triacylglycerols: effects of glycerol structures and chain-chain interactions.

    PubMed

    Bayés-García, Laura; Calvet, Teresa; Cuevas-Diarte, Miquel Àngel; Ueno, Satoru; Sato, Kiyotaka

    2015-03-26

    We systematically examined the phase behavior of binary mixtures of mixed-acid triacylglycerols (TAGs) containing palmitic and oleic acid moieties 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-glycerol (OPO), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-oleoyl-rac-glycerol (PPO), and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl-rac-glycerol (OOP), which are widely present in natural fats and are employed in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction methods were applied to observe the mixing behavior of PPO/OPO, OOP/OPO, and PPO/OOP under metastable and stable conditions. The results led to three conclusions: (1) Eutectic behavior was observed in PPO/OPO. (2) Molecular compound (MC) crystals were formed in the mixtures of OOP/OPO and PPO/OOP. (3) However, the MC crystals occurred only under metastable conditions and tended to separate into component TAGs to form eutectic mixture systems after 17 months of incubation. These results were contrary to those of previous studies on 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl glycerol (POP)/OPO and POP/PPO in which the MC crystals were thermodynamically stable. We determined that specific molecular interactions may cause this different phase behavior (stability of POP/OPO and POP/PPO MC crystals and metastability of OOP/OPO and PPO/OOP MC crystals). All results confirm the significant effects of molecular structures of glycerol groups, interactions of fatty acid chains, and polymorphism of the component TAGs on the mixing behavior of mixed-acid TAGs.

  5. The Relationship between Polyamines and Hormones in the Regulation of Wheat Grain Filling

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yang; Gu, Dandan; Wu, Wei; Wen, Xiaoxia; Liao, Yuncheng

    2013-01-01

    The grain weight of wheat is strongly influenced by filling. Polyamines (PA) are involved in regulating plant growth. However, the effects of PA on wheat grain filling and its mechanism of action are unclear. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between PAs and hormones in the regulation of wheat grain filling. Three PAs, spermidine (Spd), spermine (Spm), and putrescine (Put), were exogenously applied, and the grain filling characteristics and changes in endogenous PA and hormones, i.e., indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin (Z) + zeatin riboside (ZR), abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (ETH) and gibberellin 1+4 (GAs), were quantified during wheat grain filling. Exogenous applications of Spd and Spm significantly increased the grain filling rate and weight, but exogenous Put had no significant effects on these measures. Exogenous Spd and Spm significantly increased the endogenous Spd, Spm, Z+ZR, ABA, and IAA contents and significantly decreased ETH evolution in grains. The endogenous Spd, Spm and Z+ZR contents were positively and significantly correlated with the grain filling rate and weight of wheat, and the endogenous ETH evolution was negatively and significantly correlated with the wheat grain filling rate and weight. Based upon these results, we concluded that PAs were involved in the balance of hormones that regulated the grain filling of wheat. PMID:24205154

  6. Polyamines attenuate ethylene-mediated defense responses to abrogate resistance to Botrytis cinerea in tomato

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) lines over-expressing yeast spermidine synthase (ySpdSyn), an enzyme involved in polyamine (PA) biosynthesis, were developed. These transgenic lines accumulate higher levels of spermidine (Spd) than the wild type plants and were examined for responses to the...

  7. Hydroxycarboxylic acids and salts

    DOEpatents

    Kiely, Donald E; Hash, Kirk R; Kramer-Presta, Kylie; Smith, Tyler N

    2015-02-24

    Compositions which inhibit corrosion and alter the physical properties of concrete (admixtures) are prepared from salt mixtures of hydroxycarboxylic acids, carboxylic acids, and nitric acid. The salt mixtures are prepared by neutralizing acid product mixtures from the oxidation of polyols using nitric acid and oxygen as the oxidizing agents. Nitric acid is removed from the hydroxycarboxylic acids by evaporation and diffusion dialysis.

  8. Polyamine and methionine adenosyltransferase 2A crosstalk in human colon and liver cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tomasi, Maria Lauda; USC Research Center for Liver Diseases, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033; The Southern California Research Center for Alcoholic and Pancreatic Diseases and Cirrhosis, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033

    Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) is an essential enzyme that is responsible for the biosynthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), the principal methyl donor and precursor of polyamines. MAT1A is expressed in normal liver and MAT2A is expressed in all extrahepatic tissues. MAT2A expression is increased in human colon cancer and in colon cancer cells treated with mitogens, whereas silencing MAT2A resulted in apoptosis. The aim of the current work was to examine the mechanism responsible for MAT2A-dependent growth and apoptosis. We found that in RKO (human adenocarcinoma cell line) cells, MAT2A siRNA treatment lowered cellular SAMe and putrescine levels by 70–75%, increased apoptosismore » and inhibited growth. Putrescine supplementation blunted significantly MAT2A siRNA-induced apoptosis and growth suppression. Putrescine treatment (100 pmol/L) raised MAT2A mRNA level to 4.3-fold of control, increased the expression of c-Jun and c-Fos and binding to an AP-1 site in the human MAT2A promoter and the promoter activity. In human colon cancer specimens, the expression levels of MAT2A, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), c-Jun and c-Fos are all elevated as compared to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Overexpression of ODC in RKO cells also raised MAT2A mRNA level and MAT2A promoter activity. ODC and MAT2A are also overexpressed in liver cancer and consistently, similar MAT2A-ODC-putrescine interactions and effects on growth and apoptosis were observed in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, there is a crosstalk between polyamines and MAT2A. Increased MAT2A expression provides more SAMe for polyamines biosynthesis; increased polyamine (putrescine in this case) can activate MAT2A at the transcriptional level. This along with increased ODC expression in cancer all feed forward to further enhance the proliferative capacity of the cancer cell. -- Highlights: • MAT2A knockdown depletes putrescine and leads to apoptosis. • Putrescine attenuates MAT2A knockdown-induced apoptosis and

  9. Enhanced Biocide Treatments with D-amino Acid Mixtures against a Biofilm Consortium from a Water Cooling Tower.

    PubMed

    Jia, Ru; Li, Yingchao; Al-Mahamedh, Hussain H; Gu, Tingyue

    2017-01-01

    Different species of microbes form mixed-culture biofilms in cooling water systems. They cause microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and biofouling, leading to increased operational and maintenance costs. In this work, two D-amino acid mixtures were found to enhance two non-oxidizing biocides [tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium sulfate (THPS) and NALCO 7330 (isothiazoline derivatives)] and one oxidizing biocide [bleach (NaClO)] against a biofilm consortium from a water cooling tower in lab tests. Fifty ppm (w/w) of an equimass mixture of D-methionine, D-leucine, D-tyrosine, D-tryptophan, D-serine, D-threonine, D-phenylalanine, and D-valine (D8) enhanced 15 ppm THPS and 15 ppm NALCO 7330 with similar efficacies achieved by the 30 ppm THPS alone treatment and the 30 ppm NALCO 7330 alone treatment, respectively in the single-batch 3-h biofilm removal test. A sequential treatment method was used to enhance bleach because D-amino acids react with bleach. After a 4-h biofilm removal test, the sequential treatment of 5 ppm bleach followed by 50 ppm D8 achieved extra 1-log reduction in sessile cell counts of acid producing bacteria, sulfate reducing bacteria, and general heterotrophic bacteria compared with the 5 ppm bleach alone treatment. The 10 ppm bleach alone treatment showed a similar efficacy with the sequential treatment of 5 ppm bleach followed by 50 ppm D8. The efficacy of D8 was found better than that of D4 (an equimass mixture of D-methionine, D-leucine, D-tyrosine, and D-tryptophan) in the enhancement of the three individual biocides against the biofilm consortium.

  10. Amphypterygium adstringens anacardic acid mixture inhibits quorum sensing-controlled virulence factors of Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Castillo-Juárez, Israel; García-Contreras, Rodolfo; Velázquez-Guadarrama, Norma; Soto-Hernández, Marcos; Martínez-Vázquez, Mariano

    2013-10-01

    Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of bacterial cell-cell communication that controls a large number of systems affecting pathogenicity. Interrupting this communication system can provide nonvirulent pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-quorum sensing (anti-QS) potential of an anacardic acids mixture isolated from Amphipterygium adstringens, a medicinal plant known as "cuachalalate", to prevent the onset of bacterial infections as an alternate to antibiotics. Initially we investigated the anti-QS activity of A. adstringens hexane extract (HE) by the inhibition of violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum. From the active HE, an anacardic acid mixture (AAM) was obtained. The anti-quorum sensing activity of AAM was investigated by the rhamnolipid and pyocyanin production constraint as well as decrease of elastase activity, all being quorum sensing-controlled virulence factors expressed in the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. HE induced a 91.6% of inhibition of the violecin production at 55 μg/mL concentration, whereas AAM showed 94% of inhibition at 166 μg/mL. In both cases, inhibition of violacein production did not affect the viability of the bacterium. AAM inhibited pyocyanin (86% at 200 μg/mL) and rhamnolipid (91% at 500 μg/mL) production in a dose/response form and decrease the elastase (75% at 500 μg/mL) activity in P. aeruginosa without affecting its development. Because an anacardic acids mixture isolated from A. adstringens demonstrated anti-QS, it could be further exploited for novel molecules to treat the emerging infections of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens. Copyright © 2013 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Enhanced Biocide Treatments with D-amino Acid Mixtures against a Biofilm Consortium from a Water Cooling Tower

    PubMed Central

    Jia, Ru; Li, Yingchao; Al-Mahamedh, Hussain H.; Gu, Tingyue

    2017-01-01

    Different species of microbes form mixed-culture biofilms in cooling water systems. They cause microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) and biofouling, leading to increased operational and maintenance costs. In this work, two D-amino acid mixtures were found to enhance two non-oxidizing biocides [tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium sulfate (THPS) and NALCO 7330 (isothiazoline derivatives)] and one oxidizing biocide [bleach (NaClO)] against a biofilm consortium from a water cooling tower in lab tests. Fifty ppm (w/w) of an equimass mixture of D-methionine, D-leucine, D-tyrosine, D-tryptophan, D-serine, D-threonine, D-phenylalanine, and D-valine (D8) enhanced 15 ppm THPS and 15 ppm NALCO 7330 with similar efficacies achieved by the 30 ppm THPS alone treatment and the 30 ppm NALCO 7330 alone treatment, respectively in the single-batch 3-h biofilm removal test. A sequential treatment method was used to enhance bleach because D-amino acids react with bleach. After a 4-h biofilm removal test, the sequential treatment of 5 ppm bleach followed by 50 ppm D8 achieved extra 1-log reduction in sessile cell counts of acid producing bacteria, sulfate reducing bacteria, and general heterotrophic bacteria compared with the 5 ppm bleach alone treatment. The 10 ppm bleach alone treatment showed a similar efficacy with the sequential treatment of 5 ppm bleach followed by 50 ppm D8. The efficacy of D8 was found better than that of D4 (an equimass mixture of D-methionine, D-leucine, D-tyrosine, and D-tryptophan) in the enhancement of the three individual biocides against the biofilm consortium. PMID:28861053

  12. Epoxy resin

    DOEpatents

    Wilson, Glenn R.; Salyer, Ival O.; Ball, III, George L.

    1976-07-13

    By mixing one part of a prepolymer containing a polyamine partially polymerized with an organic epoxide and subsequently reacted with a fatty acid containing from 8 to 32 carbon atoms, and then reacting this prepolymer mixture with 3 parts of an organic epoxide, a composition was obtained which made a gas frothable, shear-stable, room temperature curing, low density foam. A particularly advantageous prepolymer was prepared using a polyamine selected from the group consisting of diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, and tetraethylenepentamine, partially polymerized with an organic epoxide having an average molecular weight of about 350 and having an epoxide equivalent of 185 to 192, and reacted with 2-10 weight percent linoleic acid. When one part of this prepolymer was reacted with about three parts of epoxy, and frothed by whipping in air or nitrogen an epoxy foam was produced which could be troweled onto surfaces and into corners or crevices, and subsequently cured, at near ambient temperature, to a strong dimensionally stable foam product.

  13. Probiotics against neoplastic transformation of gastric mucosa: effects on cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism.

    PubMed

    Russo, Francesco; Linsalata, Michele; Orlando, Antonella

    2014-10-07

    Gastric cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide, accounting for about 10% of newly diagnosed neoplasms. In the last decades, an emerging role has been attributed to the relations between the intestinal microbiota and the onset of both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal neoplasms. Thus, exogenous microbial administration of peculiar bacterial strains (probiotics) has been suggested as having a profound influence on multiple processes associated with a change in cancer risk. The internationally accepted definition of probiotics is live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. The possible effects on the gastrointestinal tract following probiotic administration have been investigated in vitro and in animal models, as well as in healthy volunteers and in patients suffering from different human gastrointestinal diseases. Although several evidences are available on the use of probiotics against the carcinogen Helicobacter pylori, little is still known about the potential cross-interactions among probiotics, the composition and quality of intestinal flora and the neoplastic transformation of gastric mucosa. In this connection, a significant role in cell proliferation is played by polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine). These small amines are required in both pre-neoplastic and neoplastic tissue to sustain the cell growth and the evidences here provided suggest that probiotics may act as antineoplastic agents in the stomach by affecting also the polyamine content and functions. This review will summarize data on the most widely recognized effects of probiotics against neoplastic transformation of gastric mucosa and in particular on their ability in modulating cell proliferation, paying attention to the polyamine metabolism.

  14. Effects of polyamine inhibitors on zinc uptake by COMMA-1D mammary epithelial cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allen, J.C.; Haedrich, L.H.

    1991-03-15

    Zn uptake or transport is stimulated by glucocorticoids in many types of epithelial cells, including the COMMA-1D mouse mammary cell line. The current objective was to determine whether polyamines also mediate glucocorticoid stimulation of Zn-uptake. Initially, cells grown in lactogenic hormone supplemented-media had approximately 65% greater {sup 65}Zn-uptake over 24 h than cells in nonsupplemented growth media (GM). {sup 65}Zn-uptake from HM with 10{sup {minus}5}M methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) (s-adenosyl-methionine decarboxylase inhibitor to block polyamine synthesis) added was less than from GM. Exogenous spermidine added to the MGBG-HM media increased {sup 65}Zn-uptake. However, up to 10mM difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a more specific inhibitormore » of sperimidine synthesis, had no significant effect on 24-h {sup 65}Zn-uptake by cells in HM. In GM, DFMO caused a slight dose-dependent decrease in {sup 65}Zn-uptake over the range 10{sup {minus}6} to 5 {times} 10{sup 3}M. Also, with 8 h of incubation, DFMO tended to decrease {sup 65}Zn-uptake in HM-stimulated cells. These data cannot yet distinguish between the possibilities that DFMO is inactivated during the 24-h incubation or that the dramatic effects of MGBG on {sup 65}Zn-uptake in these mammary-derived cells is not related to its inhibition of polyamine synthesis. Because COMMA-1D cells alter Zn uptake in response to lactogenic hormones and MGBG, the model system is suitable for further studies of the mechanisms of zinc transport in epithelia.« less

  15. F14512, a potent antitumor agent targeting topoisomerase II vectored into cancer cells via the polyamine transport system.

    PubMed

    Barret, Jean-Marc; Kruczynski, Anna; Vispé, Stéphane; Annereau, Jean-Philippe; Brel, Viviane; Guminski, Yves; Delcros, Jean-Guy; Lansiaux, Amélie; Guilbaud, Nicolas; Imbert, Thierry; Bailly, Christian

    2008-12-01

    The polyamine transport system (PTS) is an energy-dependent machinery frequently overactivated in cancer cells with a high demand for polyamines. We have exploited the PTS to selectively deliver a polyamine-containing drug to cancer cells. F14512 combines an epipodophyllotoxin core-targeting topoisomerase II with a spermine moiety introduced as a cell delivery vector. The polyamine tail supports three complementary functions: (a) facilitate formulation of a water-soluble compound, (b) increase DNA binding to reinforce topoisomerase II inhibition, and (c) facilitate selective uptake by tumor cells via the PTS. F14512 is 73-fold more cytotoxic to Chinese hamster ovary cells compared with CHO-MG cells with a reduced PTS activity. A decreased sensitivity of L1210 leukemia cells to F14512 was observed in the presence of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. In parallel, the spermine moiety considerably enhances the drug-DNA interaction, leading to a reinforced inhibition of topoisomerase II. The spermine tail of F14512 serves as a cell delivery vehicle as well as a DNA anchor, and this property translates at the cellular level into a distinct pharmacologic profile. Twenty-nine human solid or hematologic cell lines were used to characterize the high cytotoxic potential of F14512 (median IC50 of 0.18 micromol/L). Finally, the potent antitumor activity of F14512 in vivo was evidenced with a MX1 human breast tumor xenograft model, with partial and complete tumor regressions. This work supports the clinical development of F14512 as a novel targeted cytotoxic drug and sheds light on the concept of selective delivery of drugs to tumor cells expressing the PTS.

  16. Phloem-Specific Methionine Recycling Fuels Polyamine Biosynthesis in a Sulfur-Dependent Manner and Promotes Flower and Seed Development1[OPEN

    PubMed Central

    Hajirezaei, Mohammad R.

    2016-01-01

    The Yang or Met Cycle is a series of reactions catalyzing the recycling of the sulfur (S) compound 5′-methylthioadenosine (MTA) to Met. MTA is produced as a by-product in ethylene, nicotianamine, and polyamine biosynthesis. Whether the Met Cycle preferentially fuels one of these pathways in a S-dependent manner remained unclear so far. We analyzed Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants with defects in the Met Cycle enzymes 5-METHYLTHIORIBOSE-1-PHOSPHATE-ISOMERASE1 (MTI1) and DEHYDRATASE-ENOLASE-PHOSPHATASE-COMPLEX1 (DEP1) under different S conditions and assayed the contribution of the Met Cycle to the regeneration of S for these pathways. Neither mti1 nor dep1 mutants could recycle MTA but showed S-dependent reproductive failure, which was accompanied by reduced levels of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in mutant inflorescences. Complementation experiments with external application of these three polyamines showed that only the triamine spermine could specifically rescue the S-dependent reproductive defects of the mutant plants. Furthermore, expressing gene-reporter fusions in Arabidopsis showed that MTI1 and DEP1 were mainly expressed in the vasculature of all plant parts. Phloem-specific reconstitution of Met Cycle activity in mti1 and dep1 mutant plants was sufficient to rescue their S-dependent mutant phenotypes. We conclude from these analyses that phloem-specific S recycling during periods of S starvation is essential for the biosynthesis of polyamines required for flowering and seed development. PMID:26662272

  17. DNA-HMGB1 interaction: The nuclear aggregates of polyamine mediation.

    PubMed

    Iacomino, Giuseppe; Picariello, Gianluca; Sbrana, Francesca; Raiteri, Roberto; D'Agostino, Luciano

    2016-10-01

    Nuclear aggregates of polyamines (NAPs) are supramolecular compounds generated by the self-assembly of protonated nuclear polyamines (spermine, spermidine and putrescine) and phosphate ions. In the presence of genomic DNA, the hierarchical process of self-structuring ultimately produces nanotube-like polymers that envelop the double helix. Because of their modular nature and their aggregation-disaggregation dynamics, NAPs confer plasticity and flexibility to DNA. Through the disposition of charges, NAPs also enable a bidirectional stream of information between the genome and interacting moieties. High mobility group (HMG) B1 is a non-histone chromosomal protein that binds to DNA and that influences multiple nuclear processes. Because genomic DNA binds to either NAPs or HMGB1 protein, we explored the ability of in vitro self-assembled NAPs (ivNAPs) to mediate the DNA-HMGB1 interaction. To this end, we structured DNA-NAPs-HMGB1 and DNA-HMGB1-NAPs ternary complexes in vitro through opportune sequential incubations. Mobility shift electrophoresis and atomic force microscopy showed that the DNA-ivNAPs-HGMB1 complex had conformational assets supposedly more suitable those of the DNA-HGMB1-ivNAPs to comply with the physiological and functional requirements of DNA. Our findings indicated that ivNAPs act as mediators of the DNA-HMGB1 interaction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Pancreatic polyamine concentrations and cholecystokinin plasma levels in rats after feeding raw or heat-inactivated soybean flour.

    PubMed

    Löser, C; Fölsch, U R; Mustroph, D; Cantor, P; Wunderlich, U; Creutzfeldt, W

    1988-01-01

    We investigated the trophic effect on the pancreas of male Wistar rats fed up to 20 days with either raw soybean flour (RSF) containing an active trypsin inhibitor or heat-inactivated soybean flour (HSF). The concentrations of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in the pancreas as well as cholecystokinin (CCK) concentrations in arterial and portal vein plasma were measured. Plasma CCK concentrations were measured by a sensitive radioimmunoassay specific for the sulfated region of CCK, whereas polyamine concentrations are determined by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The levels of CCK in both arterial and portal vein plasma were significantly higher in RSF- compared with HSF-fed rats, the concentration in the portal vein being twice as high compared with the aorta. A significant increase in pancreatic weight and protein content was positively correlated to an increase in putrescine and spermidine in the pancreas of RSF-fed rats compared with HSF-fed controls, whereas the spermine content did not differ between the two groups. The pancreatic DNA content in RSF-fed rats was significantly above control values of day 20 only. These data support the hypothesis that the trophic effect of soybean trypsin inhibitor on the pancreas is mediated by CCK and that polyamines might play an important role in CCK-induced pancreatic growth.

  19. Independent evolutionary origins of functional polyamine biosynthetic enzyme fusions catalyzing de novo diamine to triamine formation

    PubMed Central

    Green, Robert; Hanfrey, Colin C.; Elliott, Katherine A.; McCloskey, Diane E.; Wang, Xiaojing; Kanugula, Sreenivas; Pegg, Anthony E.; Michael, Anthony J.

    2011-01-01

    Summary We have identified gene fusions of polyamine biosynthetic enzymes S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC, speD) and aminopropyltransferase (speE) orthologues in diverse bacterial phyla. Both domains are functionally active and we demonstrate the novel de novo synthesis of the triamine spermidine from the diamine putrescine by fusion enzymes from β-proteobacterium Delftia acidovorans and δ-proteobacterium Syntrophus aciditrophicus, in a ΔspeDE gene deletion strain of Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium. Fusion proteins from marine α-proteobacterium Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique, actinobacterium Nocardia farcinica, chlorobi species Chloroherpeton thalassium, and β-proteobacterium Delftia acidovorans each produce a different profile of non-native polyamines including sym-norspermidine when expressed in Escherichia coli. The different aminopropyltransferase activities together with phylogenetic analysis confirm independent evolutionary origins for some fusions. Comparative genomic analysis strongly indicates that gene fusions arose by merger of adjacent open reading frames. Independent fusion events, and horizontal and vertical gene transfer contributed to the scattered phyletic distribution of the gene fusions. Surprisingly, expression of fusion genes in E. coli and S. Typhimurium revealed novel latent spermidine catabolic activity producing non-native 1,3-diaminopropane in these species. We have also identified fusions of polyamine biosynthetic enzymes agmatine deiminase and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase in archaea, and of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and ornithine decarboxylase in the single-celled green alga Micromonas. PMID:21762220

  20. Polyamine levels during the development of zygotic and somatic embryos of Pinus radiata

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Dale R. Smith; Cathie Reeves; Kevin D. Steele; Subhash C. Minocha

    1999-01-01

    Changes in the cellular content of three polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) were compared at different stages of development in zygotic and somatic embryos of Pinus radiata D. Don. During embryo development, both the zygotic and the somatic embryos showed a steady increase in spermidine content, with either a small decrease or no...

  1. Fabrication of Self-Ordered Nanoporous Alumina with 69-115 nm Interpore Distances in Sulfuric/Oxalic Acid Mixtures by Hard Anodization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almasi Kashi, Mohammad; Ramazani, Abdolali; Mayamai, Yashar; Noormohammadi, Mohammad

    2010-01-01

    Well-ordered nanoporous arrays have been obtained using hard anodization of aluminium in oxalic/sulfuric mixture. Various ordered nanoporous alumina films with pore intervals from 69 to 115 nm were fabricated on aluminum by high current anodization approach with various sulfuric concentrations in the oxalic/sulfuric mixture electrolyte under 36-60 V. The sulfuric acid concentration was changed from 0.06 to 0.2 M. Different configurations of the current-time curve are seen to influence the self-ordering of the nanohole arrays. A current density-time curve with exponential oscillating decay configuration is seen to damage the self-ordered array of the nanopores while those with exponential decay under certain conditions cause ordered nanopore arrays. For each electrolyte mixture, the interpore distance was dependent upon the anodization voltages with proportionality constants of almost 2 nm V-1. The porosity of the samples (about 3.5%) follows the porosity rule of HA. Final anodization and increasing voltage rate (rin) as a function of sulfuric acid concentration are the main sources to influence the self-ordering of the samples.

  2. Antineoplastic Efficacy of Novel Polyamine Analogues in Human Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    Davidson, N.E., and Casero, R.A.. Spermine oxidase SMO(PAOh1), not N1-acetylpolyamine oxidase (PAO) is the primary source of cytotoxic H2O2 in...human spermine oxidase SMO(PAOh1). SMO(PAOh1) uses unacetylated spermine as substrate and is inducible by specific polyamine analogs [15,16]. These...technique to find the identical clone termed spermine oxidase (SMO) [16]. The function of SMO(PAOh1) as a spermine oxidase has been confirmed [15,67,68

  3. Foliar free polyamine and inorganic ion content in relation to soil and soil solution chemistry in two fertilized forest stands at the Harvard Forest, Massachusetts

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Stephanie Long; Alison H. Magill; John Aber; William H. McDowell

    2000-01-01

    Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are low molecular weight, open-chained, organic polycations which are found in all organisms and have been linked with stress responses in plants. The objectives of our study were to investigate the effects of chronic N additions to pine and hardwood stands at Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA on foliar polyamine and...

  4. Investigating Mixture Interactions of Astringent Stimuli Using the Isobole Approach

    PubMed Central

    Fleming, Erin E.; Ziegler, Gregory R.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Astringents (alum, malic acid, tannic acid) representing 3 broad classes (multivalent salts, organic acids, and polyphenols) were characterized alone, and as 2- and 3-component mixtures using isoboles. In experiment 1, participants rated 7 attributes (“astringency,” the sub-qualities “drying,” “roughing,” and “puckering,” and the side tastes “bitterness,” “sourness,” and “sweetness”) using direct scaling. Quality specific power functions were calculated for each stimulus. In experiment 2, the same participants characterized 2- and 3-component mixtures. Multiple factor analysis (MFA) and hierarchical clustering on attribute ratings across stimuli indicate “astringency” is highly related to “bitterness” as well as “puckering,” and the subqualities “drying” and “roughing” are somewhat redundant. Moreover, power functions were used to calculate indices of interaction (I) for each attribute/mixture combination. For “astringency,” there was evidence of antagonism, regardless of the type of mixture. Conversely, for subqualities, the pattern of interaction depended on the mixture type. Alum/tannic acid and tannic acid/malic acid mixtures showed evidence of synergy for “drying” and “roughing”; alum/malic acid mixtures showed evidence of antagonism for “drying,” “roughing,” and “puckering.” Collectively, these data clarify some semantic ambiguity regarding astringency and its subqualities, as well as the nature of interactions of among different types of astringents. Present data are not inconsistent with the idea that astringency arises from multiple mechanisms, although it remains to be determined whether the synergy observed here might reflect simultaneous activation of these multiple mechanisms. PMID:27252355

  5. Mixture-amount design and response surface modeling to assess the effects of flavonoids and phenolic acids on developmental performance of Anastrepha ludens.

    PubMed

    Pascacio-Villafán, Carlos; Lapointe, Stephen; Williams, Trevor; Sivinski, John; Niedz, Randall; Aluja, Martín

    2014-03-01

    Host plant resistance to insect attack and expansion of insect pests to novel hosts may to be modulated by phenolic compounds in host plants. Many studies have evaluated the role of phenolics in host plant resistance and the effect of phenolics on herbivore performance, but few studies have tested the joint effect of several compounds. Here, we used mixture-amount experimental design and response surface modeling to study the effects of a variety of phenolic compounds on the development and survival of Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens [Loew]), a notorious polyphagous pest of fruit crops that is likely to expand its distribution range under climate change scenarios. (+)- Catechin, phloridzin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, and p-coumaric acid were added individually or in mixtures at different concentrations to a laboratory diet used to rear individuals of A. ludens. No effect was observed with any mixture or concentration on percent pupation, pupal weight, adult emergence, or survival from neonate larvae to adults. Larval weight, larval and pupal developmental time, and the prevalence of adult deformities were affected by particular mixtures and concentrations of the compounds tested. We suggest that some combinations/concentrations of phenolic compounds could contribute to the management of A. ludens. We also highlight the importance of testing mixtures of plant secondary compounds when exploring their effects upon insect herbivore performance, and we show that mixture-amount design is a useful tool for this type of experiments.

  6. Amino acid profile and sensory characteristics of dry fermented pork loins produced with a mixture of probiotic starter cultures.

    PubMed

    Neffe-Skocińska, Katarzyna; Okoń, Anna; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew

    2017-07-01

    Proteolysis is a biochemical process in dry-aged meat products where proteins are metabolized and broken down to polypeptides, peptides, and free amino acids. In the literature it is reported that an appropriate choice of probiotic starter culture limits proteolytic changes in dry-fermented meat products. In this study the combined effect of a mixture of probiotic starter cultures on the free amino acid profile, total count of lactic acid bacteria, and the sensory quality of dry-aged pork loins after fermentation and after storing the vacuum-packed samples was evaluated. LOCK900 and BB12 probiotic strains were the technologically best two-species mixture of starter cultures for the production of probiotic dry-aged pork loins. They allowed us to obtain products with high and stable bacterial count and acceptable sensory quality, both after 21 days of fermentation and after 2 months of cold storage. Changes in the free amino acid profile and increased intensity of the selected sensory attributes result from a significant share of probiotics in meat proteolysis occurring during fermentation and storage. The results suggest the relevance of using probiotic bacteria as a two-species starter culture for the production of dry-aged products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Probiotics against neoplastic transformation of gastric mucosa: Effects on cell proliferation and polyamine metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Russo, Francesco; Linsalata, Michele; Orlando, Antonella

    2014-01-01

    Gastric cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide, accounting for about 10% of newly diagnosed neoplasms. In the last decades, an emerging role has been attributed to the relations between the intestinal microbiota and the onset of both gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal neoplasms. Thus, exogenous microbial administration of peculiar bacterial strains (probiotics) has been suggested as having a profound influence on multiple processes associated with a change in cancer risk. The internationally accepted definition of probiotics is live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. The possible effects on the gastrointestinal tract following probiotic administration have been investigated in vitro and in animal models, as well as in healthy volunteers and in patients suffering from different human gastrointestinal diseases. Although several evidences are available on the use of probiotics against the carcinogen Helicobacter pylori, little is still known about the potential cross-interactions among probiotics, the composition and quality of intestinal flora and the neoplastic transformation of gastric mucosa. In this connection, a significant role in cell proliferation is played by polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine). These small amines are required in both pre-neoplastic and neoplastic tissue to sustain the cell growth and the evidences here provided suggest that probiotics may act as antineoplastic agents in the stomach by affecting also the polyamine content and functions. This review will summarize data on the most widely recognized effects of probiotics against neoplastic transformation of gastric mucosa and in particular on their ability in modulating cell proliferation, paying attention to the polyamine metabolism. PMID:25309063

  8. Chemically grafted polymeric filters for chemical sensors: Hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid) films incorporating {Beta}-cyclodextrin receptors and amine-functionalized filter layers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dermody, D.L.; Peez, R.F.; Bergbreiter, D.E.

    1999-02-02

    The authors report a new molecular-filter approach for enhancing the selectivity of chemical sensors. Specifically, they describe electrochemical sensors prepared from Au electrodes coated with {beta}-cyclodextrin-functionalized, hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid)(PAA) films capped with a chemically grafted, ultrathin polyamine layer. The hyperbranched PAA film is a highly functionalized framework for covalently binding the {beta}-cyclodextrin molecular receptors. The thin, grafted polyamine overlayer acts as a pH-sensitive molecular filter that selectively passes suitably charged analytes. Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers or poly-D-lysine is used as 10--15-nm-thick filter layers. The results show that at low pH, when the polyamines are fully protonated, positively charged redox probe molecules, suchmore » as benzyl viologen (BV), do not permeate the filter layer. However, at high pH, when the filter layer is uncharged, BV penetrates the filter layer and is reduced at the electrode. The opposite pH dependence is observed for negatively charged redox molecules such as anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS). Both BV and AQS specifically interact with the {beta}-cyclodextrin receptors underlying the polyamine filter layers.« less

  9. Distillation Separation of Hydrofluoric Acid and Nitric Acid from Acid Waste Using the Salt Effect on Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamamoto, Hideki; Sumoge, Iwao

    2011-03-01

    This study presents the distillation separation of hydrofluoric acid with use of the salt effect on the vapor-liquid equilibrium for acid aqueous solutions and acid mixtures. The vapor-liquid equilibrium of hydrofluoric acid + salt systems (fluorite, potassium nitrate, cesium nitrate) was measured using an apparatus made of perfluoro alkylvinylether. Cesium nitrate showed a salting-out effect on the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the hydrofluoric acid-water system. Fluorite and potassium nitrate showed a salting-in effect on the hydrofluoric acid-water system. Separation of hydrofluoric acid from an acid mixture containing nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid was tested by the simple distillation treatment using the salt effect of cesium nitrate (45 mass%). An acid mixture of nitric acid (5.0 mol · dm-3) and hydrofluoric acid (5.0 mol · dm-3) was prepared as a sample solution for distillation tests. The concentration of nitric acid in the first distillate decreased from 5.0 mol · dm-3 to 1.13 mol · dm-3, and the concentration of hydrofluoric acid increased to 5.41 mol · dm-3. This first distillate was further distilled without the addition of salt. The concentrations of hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid in the second distillate were 7.21 mol · dm-3 and 0.46 mol · dm-3, respectively. It was thus found that the salt effect on vapor-liquid equilibrium of acid mixtures was effective for the recycling of acids from acid mixture wastes.

  10. Determining a Robust D-Optimal Design for Testing for Departure from Additivity in a Mixture of Four Perfluoroalkyl Acids.

    EPA Science Inventory

    Our objective is to determine an optimal experimental design for a mixture of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) that is robust to the assumption of additivity. PFAAs are widely used in consumer products and industrial applications. The presence and persistence of PFAAs, especially in ...

  11. Advanced stability indicating chemometric methods for quantitation of amlodipine and atorvastatin in their quinary mixture with acidic degradation products

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Darwish, Hany W.; Hassan, Said A.; Salem, Maissa Y.; El-Zeany, Badr A.

    2016-02-01

    Two advanced, accurate and precise chemometric methods are developed for the simultaneous determination of amlodipine besylate (AML) and atorvastatin calcium (ATV) in the presence of their acidic degradation products in tablet dosage forms. The first method was Partial Least Squares (PLS-1) and the second was Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). PLS was compared to ANN models with and without variable selection procedure (genetic algorithm (GA)). For proper analysis, a 5-factor 5-level experimental design was established resulting in 25 mixtures containing different ratios of the interfering species. Fifteen mixtures were used as calibration set and the other ten mixtures were used as validation set to validate the prediction ability of the suggested models. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical tablets containing AML and ATV. The methods indicated the ability of the mentioned models to solve the highly overlapped spectra of the quinary mixture, yet using inexpensive and easy to handle instruments like the UV-VIS spectrophotometer.

  12. A Burkholderia sacchari cell factory: production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, xylitol and xylonic acid from xylose-rich sugar mixtures.

    PubMed

    Raposo, Rodrigo S; de Almeida, M Catarina M D; de Oliveira, M da Conceição M A; da Fonseca, M Manuela; Cesário, M Teresa

    2017-01-25

    Efficient production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P(3HB)) based on glucose-xylose mixtures simulating different types of lignocellulosic hydrolysate (LCH) was addressed using Burkholderia sacchari, a wild strain capable of metabolizing both sugars and producing P(3HB). Carbon catabolite repression was avoided by maintaining glucose concentration below 10g/L. Xylose concentrations above 30g/L were inhibitory for growth and production. In fed-batch cultivations, pulse size and feed addition rate were controlled in order to reach high productivities and efficient sugar consumptions. High xylose uptake and P(3HB) productivity were attained with glucose-rich mixtures (glucose/xylose ratio in the feed=1.5w/w) using high feeding rates, while with xylose-richer feeds (glucose/xylose=0.8w/w), a lower feeding rate is a robust strategy to avoid xylose build-up in the medium. Xylitol production was observed with xylose concentrations in the medium above 30-40g/L. With sugar mixtures featuring even lower glucose/xylose ratios, i.e. xylose-richer feeds (glucose/xylose=0.5), xylonic acid (a second byproduct) was produced. This is the first report of the ability of Burkholderia sacchari to produce both xylitol and xylonic acid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Enhanced Biocide Mitigation of Field Biofilm Consortia by a Mixture of D-Amino Acids

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yingchao; Jia, Ru; Al-Mahamedh, Hussain H.; Xu, Dake; Gu, Tingyue

    2016-01-01

    Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a major problem in the oil and gas industry as well as in many other industries. Current treatment methods rely mostly on pigging and biocide dosing. Biocide resistance is a growing concern. Thus, it is desirable to use biocide enhancers to improve the efficacy of existing biocides. D-Amino acids are naturally occurring. Our previous work demonstrated that some D-amino acids are biocide enhancers. Under a biocide stress of 50 ppm (w/w) hydroxymethyl phosphonium sulfate (THPS) biocide, 1 ppm D-tyrosine and 100 ppm D-methionine used separately successfully mitigated the Desulfovibrio vulgaris biofilm on carbon steel coupons. The data reported in this work revealed that 50 ppm of an equimolar mixture of D-methionine, D-tyrosine, D-leucine, and D-tryptophan greatly enhanced 50 ppm THPS biocide treatment of two recalcitrant biofilm consortia containing sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), nitrate reducing bacteria (NRB), and fermentative bacteria, etc., from oil-field operations. The data also indicated that individual D-amino acids were inadequate for the biofilm consortia. PMID:27379039

  14. Citral stabilization and characterization of nanoemulsions stabilized by a mixture of gelatin and Tween 20 in an acidic system.

    PubMed

    Tian, Huaixiang; Li, Danfeng; Xu, Ting; Hu, Jing; Rong, Yuzhi; Zhao, Bo

    2017-07-01

    Citral is one of the most important flavor compounds in fresh juice and lemon oil. Unfortunately, citral is chemically unstable and degrades over time in aqueous solutions. Here, citral nanoemulsions including a mixture of gelatin and Tween 20 as emulsifiers were produced in an effort to maintain the stability of citral in an acidic system. The mean droplet size and polydispersity index of the citral nanoemulsion were 467.83 nm and 0.259 respectively when the mass ratio of gelatin/Tween 20 was 3:1 and the total emulsifier concentration of the emulsion system was 10 g kg -1 . The citral nanoemulsion remained stable during storage for 14 days at 30 °C. Therefore this nanoemulsion system effectively protected citral from degradation and decreased the formation of off-flavor compounds (e.g. p-cymene, p-cresol and p-methylacetophenone) relative to a single emulsifier. The mixture of gelatin and Tween 20 enhanced the stability of citral under acidic conditions and could be used as an effective emulsifier to protect citral from degradation under acidic environments in the food industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  15. [Low-molecular-weight regulators of biogenic polyamine metabolism affect cytokine production and expression of hepatitis С virus proteins in Huh7.5 human hepatocarcinoma cells].

    PubMed

    Masalova, O V; Lesnova, E I; Samokhvalov, E I; Permyakova, K Yu; Ivanov, A V; Kochetkov, S N; Kushch, A A

    2017-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) induces the expression of the genes of proinflammatory cytokines, the excessive production of which may cause cell death, and contribute to development of liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinoma. The relationship between cytokine production and metabolic disorders in HCV-infected cells remains obscure. The levels of biogenic polyamines, spermine, spermidine, and their precursor putrescine, may be a potential regulator of these processes. The purpose of the present work was to study the effects of the compounds which modulate biogenic polyamines metabolism on cytokine production and HCV proteins expression. Human hepatocarcinoma Huh7.5 cells have been transfected with the plasmids that encode HCV proteins and further incubated with the following low-molecular compounds that affect different stages of polyamine metabolism: (1) difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), the inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, the enzyme that catalyzes the biosynthesis of polyamines; (2) N,N'-bis(2,3-butane dienyl)-1,4-diaminobutane (MDL72.527), the inhibitor of proteins involved in polyamine degradation; and (3) synthetic polyamine analog N^(I),N^(II)-diethylnorspermine (DENSpm), an inducer of polyamine degradation enzyme. The intracellular accumulation and secretion of cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β) was assessed by immunocytochemistry and in the immunoenzyme assay, while the cytokine gene expression was studied using reverse transcription and PCR. The effects of the compounds under analysis on the expression of HCV proteins were analyzed using the indirect immunofluorescence with anti-HCV monoclonal antibodies. It has been demonstrated that, in cells transfected with HCV genes, DFMO reduces the production of three out of four tested cytokines, namely, TNF-α and TGF-β in cells that express HCV core, Е1Е2, NS3, NS5A, and NS5B proteins, and IL-1β in the cells that express HCV core, Е1Е2, and NS3 proteins. MDL72527 and DENSpm decreased cytokine production

  16. Polyamine spermidine is an upstream negator of ethylene-regulated pathogenesis of botrytis cinerea in tomato leaf

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polyamines are biogenic polycationic compounds implicated in a number of processes including plant cell division, cell elongation, flowering, fruit set and development, fruit ripening, senescence and responses to abiotic stresses. Comparatively, little is known about their role in plant-microbe int...

  17. Inhibition of the synthesis of polyamines and DNA in activated lymphocytes by a combination of alpha-methylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

    PubMed

    Morris, D R; Jorstad, C M; Seyfried, C E

    1977-09-01

    The cancer chemotherapeutic drug, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), inhibits the synthesis of spermidine and spermine, but allows continued putrescine production in small lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A. DNA replication in these cells is inhibited 50% while the synthesis of protein and RNA continues normally. When excess putrescine accumulation in the presence of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was inhibited with alpha-methylornithine, a competitive inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, the inhibition of DNA replication was accentuated, with still no effect on protein or RNA synthesis. No inhibition of DNA synthesis by the combination of alpha-methylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was observed when the inhibitors were added after accumulation of cellular polyamines. In addition, inhibition was reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine, or spermine. We conclude that putrescine can fulfill in part the role normally played by spermidine and spermine in DNA replication, and that blocking putrescine synthesis in the presence of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) amplifies the polyamine requirement. The implications of this with regard to polyamine synthesis as a site of chemotherapy are discussed.

  18. Mixture genotoxicity of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, acrylamide, and maleic hydrazide on human Caco-2 cells assessed with comet assay.

    PubMed

    Syberg, Kristian; Binderup, Mona-Lise; Cedergreen, Nina; Rank, Jette

    2015-01-01

    Assessment of genotoxic properties of chemicals is mainly conducted only for single chemicals, without taking mixture genotoxic effects into consideration. The current study assessed mixture effects of the three known genotoxic chemicals, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), acrylamide (AA), and maleic hydrazide (MH), in an experiment with a fixed ratio design setup. The genotoxic effects were assessed with the single-cell gel electrophoresis assay (comet assay) for both single chemicals and the ternary mixture. The concentration ranges used were 0-1.4, 0-20, and 0-37.7 mM for 2,4-D, AA, and MH, respectively. Mixture toxicity was tested with a fixed ratio design at a 10:23:77% ratio for 2.4-D:AA:MH. Results indicated that the three chemicals yielded a synergistic mixture effect. It is not clear which mechanisms are responsible for this interaction. A few possible interactions are discussed, but further investigations including in vivo studies are needed to clarify how important these more-than-additive effects are for risk assessment.

  19. Remaining Mysteries of Molecular Biology: The Role of Polyamines in the Cell.

    PubMed

    Miller-Fleming, Leonor; Olin-Sandoval, Viridiana; Campbell, Kate; Ralser, Markus

    2015-10-23

    The polyamines (PAs) spermidine, spermine, putrescine and cadaverine are an essential class of metabolites found throughout all kingdoms of life. In this comprehensive review, we discuss their metabolism, their various intracellular functions and their unusual and conserved regulatory features. These include the regulation of translation via upstream open reading frames, the over-reading of stop codons via ribosomal frameshifting, the existence of an antizyme and an antizyme inhibitor, ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation, a complex bi-directional membrane transport system and a unique posttranslational modification-hypusination-that is believed to occur on a single protein only (eIF-5A). Many of these features are broadly conserved indicating that PA metabolism is both concentration critical and evolutionary ancient. When PA metabolism is disrupted, a plethora of cellular processes are affected, including transcription, translation, gene expression regulation, autophagy and stress resistance. As a result, the role of PAs has been associated with cell growth, aging, memory performance, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders and cancer. Despite comprehensive studies addressing PAs, a unifying concept to interpret their molecular role is missing. The precise biochemical function of polyamines is thus one of the remaining mysteries of molecular cell biology. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Structure-activity relationship study of spider polyamine toxins as inhibitors of ionotropic glutamate receptors.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Xiao-Feng; Poulsen, Mette H; Hussein, Rama A; Nørager, Niels G; Strømgaard, Kristian

    2014-12-01

    The spider polyamine toxins Joro spider toxin-3 (JSTX-3) and Nephila polyamine toxins-1 and -8 (NPTX-1 and NPTX-8) are isolated from the venom of the orb-weaver spider Nephila clavata (Joro spider). They share a high degree of structural resemblance, their aromatic head groups being the only difference, and were recently found to be very potent open-channel blockers of ionotropic glutamate (iGlu) receptors. In this study we designed and synthesized a collection of 24 analogues of these toxins using a recently developed solid-phase synthetic methodology. Systematic variation in two regions of the toxins and subsequent evaluation of biological activity at AMPA and NMDA subtypes of iGlu receptors provided succinct information on structure-activity relationships. In particular, one set of analogues were found to display exquisite selectivity and potency for AMPA receptors relative to the natural products. Thus, this systematic SAR study has provided new pharmacological tools for studies of iGlu receptors. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Role of Polyamine Oxidase (PAOh1/SMO) in Human Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-04-01

    polyamine spermidine , 3-aminopropanal, and the reactive oxygen species, H2O2. Previous work by our research group has shown that SMO can be induced by...spermine/ spermidine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT). Treatment of MCF-10a cells with CSE resulted in a rapid 3-fold induction of SSAT mRNA at the one hour time...and spermine/ spermidine N1 acetyl- transferase (SSAT, open bars) in MCF- 10a human breast cancer cells by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) at the

  2. Integrated phospholipidomics and transcriptomics analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with enhanced tolerance to a mixture of acetic acid, furfural, and phenol

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A mixture of acetic acid, furfural and phenol (AFP), three representative lignocellulose derived inhibitors, significantly inhibited the growth and bioethanol production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In order to uncover mechanisms behind the enhanced tolerance of an inhibitor-tolerant S.cerevisiae s...

  3. SEDIMENT-MEDIATED REDUCTION OF 2,4,6-TRINITROTOLUENE AND FATE OF THE RESULTING AROMATIC (POLY)AMINES

    EPA Science Inventory

    2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene is a major surface and subsurface contaminant found at numerous munitions production and storage facilities. The reductive transformation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) to aromatic (poly)amines and the consequent fate of these products were studied in anaer...

  4. Effects of polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on hepatic nuclear structure and deoxyribonucleic acid template activity.

    PubMed Central

    Brown, K B; Nelson, N F; Brown, D G

    1975-01-01

    1. The interaction of polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanythydrazone) (1, 1'-[(methylethanediylidene)-dinitrilo]diguanidine) with isolated rat liver nuclei was investigated by electron microscopy. 2. At 4mM, putrescine was without effect; however, spermidine, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanythydrazone) resulted in dispersed chromatin and alterations in nucleolar structure. In addition, spermidine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) caused marked aggregation of interchromatin granules. 3. The DNA template property of calf thymus DNA was examined by using DNA polymerases from Escherichia coli, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and calf thymus in the presence of 0-5 mM-amine. 4. In the presence of DNA polymerase, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibited activity, whereas putrescine or spermidine had much less effect or in some cases stimulated [3H]dTMP incorporation. 5. Template activity which was inhibited by spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) could be partially restored by additional DNA or enzyme. 6. When mixed with calf thymus DNA, calf thymus histone inhibited template activity as measured with E. coli DNA polymerase. The template activity of such a 'histone-nucleate' could not be restored by putrescine, spermidine, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). 7. DNA template activity of isolated rat liver nuclei was tested by using E. coli DNA polymerase. None of the amines was able to increase the template activity of the nuclear DNA in vitro. Images PLATE 1 PMID:1218090

  5. Effects of polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on hepatic nuclear structure and deoxyribonucleic acid template activity.

    PubMed

    Brown, K B; Nelson, N F; Brown, D G

    1975-12-01

    1. The interaction of polyamines and methylglyoxal bis(guanythydrazone) (1, 1'-[(methylethanediylidene)-dinitrilo]diguanidine) with isolated rat liver nuclei was investigated by electron microscopy. 2. At 4mM, putrescine was without effect; however, spermidine, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanythydrazone) resulted in dispersed chromatin and alterations in nucleolar structure. In addition, spermidine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) caused marked aggregation of interchromatin granules. 3. The DNA template property of calf thymus DNA was examined by using DNA polymerases from Escherichia coli, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and calf thymus in the presence of 0-5 mM-amine. 4. In the presence of DNA polymerase, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) inhibited activity, whereas putrescine or spermidine had much less effect or in some cases stimulated [3H]dTMP incorporation. 5. Template activity which was inhibited by spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) could be partially restored by additional DNA or enzyme. 6. When mixed with calf thymus DNA, calf thymus histone inhibited template activity as measured with E. coli DNA polymerase. The template activity of such a 'histone-nucleate' could not be restored by putrescine, spermidine, spermine or methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). 7. DNA template activity of isolated rat liver nuclei was tested by using E. coli DNA polymerase. None of the amines was able to increase the template activity of the nuclear DNA in vitro.

  6. Polyamine biosynthesis during germination of yeast ascospores.

    PubMed Central

    Brawley, J V; Ferro, A J

    1979-01-01

    The role of the diamine putrescine during germination and outgrowth of ascospores of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined. Ornithine decarboxylase activity increased and declined rapidly during germination and outgrowth; peak activity was attained after the cells had proceeded through the G1 interval of the cell cycle, whereas minimal activity was present at the completion of the first cell division. alpha-Methylornithine inhibited both ornithine decarboxylase activity and the in vivo accumulation of putrescine. In the presence of alpha-methylornithireak dormancy and proceed through one cell division. Subsequent cellular growth, however, was retarded but not completely inhibited. The supplementation of Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) to sporulation medium greatly inhibited this sexual process. These data suggest that the synthesis of putrescine is not required for the breaking of spore dormancy, but that polyamine biosynthesis may be essential for meiosis and sporulation. PMID:387744

  7. Evaluation of additivity of binary mixtures of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARa) activation in vitro

    EPA Science Inventory

    Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are found globally in the environment and in animal tissues, and are present as mixtures of PFAA congeners. Mechanistic studies have found that in vivo effects of PFAAs are mediated by PPARL. Our previous studies showed that individual PFAAs activate ...

  8. Intracellular spermine blocks TRPC4 channel via electrostatic interaction with C-terminal negative amino acids.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jinsung; Moon, Sang Hui; Shin, Young-Cheul; Jeon, Ju-Hong; Park, Kyu Joo; Lee, Kyu Pil; So, Insuk

    2016-04-01

    Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) 4 channels are calcium-permeable, nonselective cation channels and are widely expressed in mammalian tissue, especially in the GI tract and brain. TRPC4 channels are known to be involved in neurogenic contraction of ileal smooth muscle cells via generating cationic current after muscarinic stimulation (muscarinic cationic current (mIcat)). Polyamines exist in numerous tissues and are believed to be involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, scar formation, wound healing, and carcinogenesis. Besides, physiological polyamines are essential to maintain inward rectification of cardiac potassium channels (Kir2.1). At membrane potentials more positive than equilibrium potential, intracellular polyamines plug the cytosolic surface of the Kir2.1 so that potassium ions cannot pass through the pore. Recently, it was reported that polyamines inhibit not only cardiac potassium channels but also nonselective cation channels that mediate the generation of mIcat. Here, we report that TRPC4, a definite mIcat mediator, is inhibited by intracellular spermine with great extent. The inhibition was specific to TRPC4 and TRPC5 channels but was not effective to TRPC1/4, TRPC1/5, and TRPC3 channels. For this inhibition to occur, we found that glutamates at 728th and 729th position of TRPC4 channels are essential whereby we conclude that spermine blocks the TRPC4 channel with electrostatic interaction between negative amino acids at the C-terminus of the channel.

  9. Mixtures of amino-acid based ionic liquids and water.

    PubMed

    Chaban, Vitaly V; Fileti, Eudes Eterno

    2015-09-01

    New ionic liquids (ILs) involving increasing numbers of organic and inorganic ions are continuously being reported. We recently developed a new force field; in the present work, we applied that force field to investigate the structural properties of a few novel imidazolium-based ILs in aqueous mixtures via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Using cluster analysis, radial distribution functions, and spatial distribution functions, we argue that organic ions (imidazolium, deprotonated alanine, deprotonated methionine, deprotonated tryptophan) are well dispersed in aqueous media, irrespective of the IL content. Aqueous dispersions exhibit desirable properties for chemical engineering. The ILs exist as ion pairs in relatively dilute aqueous mixtures (10 mol%), while more concentrated mixtures feature a certain amount of larger ionic aggregates.

  10. Advanced stability indicating chemometric methods for quantitation of amlodipine and atorvastatin in their quinary mixture with acidic degradation products.

    PubMed

    Darwish, Hany W; Hassan, Said A; Salem, Maissa Y; El-Zeany, Badr A

    2016-02-05

    Two advanced, accurate and precise chemometric methods are developed for the simultaneous determination of amlodipine besylate (AML) and atorvastatin calcium (ATV) in the presence of their acidic degradation products in tablet dosage forms. The first method was Partial Least Squares (PLS-1) and the second was Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). PLS was compared to ANN models with and without variable selection procedure (genetic algorithm (GA)). For proper analysis, a 5-factor 5-level experimental design was established resulting in 25 mixtures containing different ratios of the interfering species. Fifteen mixtures were used as calibration set and the other ten mixtures were used as validation set to validate the prediction ability of the suggested models. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical tablets containing AML and ATV. The methods indicated the ability of the mentioned models to solve the highly overlapped spectra of the quinary mixture, yet using inexpensive and easy to handle instruments like the UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Antioxidant capacity changes and phenolic profile of Echinacea purpurea, nettle (Urtica dioica L.), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) after application of polyamine and phenolic biosynthesis regulators.

    PubMed

    Hudec, Jozef; Burdová, Mária; Kobida, L'ubomír; Komora, Ladislav; Macho, Vendelín; Kogan, Grigorij; Turianica, Ivan; Kochanová, Radka; Lozek, Otto; Habán, Miroslav; Chlebo, Peter

    2007-07-11

    The changes of the antioxidant (AOA) and antiradical activities (ARA) and the total contents of phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxybenzoic acid in roots and different aerial sections of Echinacea purpurea, nettle, and dandelion, after treatment with ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, a polyamine inhibitor (O-phosphoethanolamine, KF), and a phenol biosynthesis stimulator (carboxymethyl chitin glucan, CCHG) were analyzed spectrophotometrically; hydroxycinnamic acids content was analyzed by RP-HPLC with UV detection. Both regulators increased the AOA measured as inhibition of peroxidation (IP) in all herb sections, with the exception of Echinacea stems after treatment with KF. In root tissues IP was dramatically elevated mainly after CCHG application: 8.5-fold in Echinacea, 4.14-fold in nettle, and 2.08-fold in dandelion. ARA decrease of Echinacea leaves treated with regulators was in direct relation only with cichoric acid and caftaric acid contents. Both regulators uphold the formation of cinnamic acid conjugates, the most expressive being that of cichoric acid after treatment with CCHG in Echinacea roots from 2.71 to 20.92 mg g(-1). There was a strong relationship between increase of the total phenolics in all sections of Echinacea, as well as in the studied sections of dandelion, and the anthocyanin content.

  12. Anti-inflammatory effects of polyamines in serotonin and carrageenan paw edemata - possible mechanism to increase vascular permeability inhibitory protein level which is regulated by glucocorticoids and superoxide radical.

    PubMed

    Oyanagui, Y

    1984-02-01

    Serotonin paw edema of mice and carrageenan paw edema of rats were inhibited by subcutaneously or orally administered certain polyamines. They must be given at least 2 h before serotonin challenge to get inhibitions which were blocked by the concomitant injections of cycloheximide. Thirty percent inhibitory dose (ID30) of polyamines (s.c.) 3 h before serotonin (s.c.) were: spermidine (8 mg/kg), spermine 28 mg/kg) and putrescine (55 mg/kg). Agmatine, cadaverine, ornithine, citrulline, lysine and arginine were not inhibitory even at 200 mg/kg. Three inhibitory polyamines were effective by oral administration but were not inhibitory by local administration into the paws. Intravenous injections of spermidine also required 2 h of lag period for inhibitions. Serotonin edema was inhibited by dexamethasone (1 mg/kg), prednisolone (1 mg/kg) or by superoxide dismutase (SOD, 5 mg/kg) in lag period requiring manner (s.c. and i.v.). High dose of cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors indomethacin and diclofenac sodium, lipo-oxygenase inhibitor BW755C (30 mg/kg s.c., respectively) and phospholipase A2 inhibitor quinacrine (100 mg/kg s.c.) failed to inhibit serotonin edema, suggesting that arachidonate metabolites are not participating in this model. ID30 of polyamines which were administered (s.c. and oral) to rats 3 h before carrageenan and determined at 3 h by paw weight were: spermidine (28 and 100 mg/kg), spermine (18 and 90 mg/kg) and putrescine (both greater than 200 mg/kg). Adrenalectomized rats responded to polyamines just as normal rats. Local vascular permeability, irritancy and acute toxicity were also tested in mice. Polyamines were proved to be glucocorticoid-type anti-inflammatory drugs. Polyamines may be mediators of glucocorticoids for the synthesis of the postulated vascular permeability inhibitory protein (called as 'vasoregulin' for convenience). Anti-inflammatory effect of glucocorticoid is recently explained by its capacity to induce phospholipase A2 inhibitory protein

  13. The Dysregulation of Polyamine Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer Is Associated with Overexpression of c-Myc and C/EBPβ rather than Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis Infection.

    PubMed

    Snezhkina, Anastasiya V; Krasnov, George S; Lipatova, Anastasiya V; Sadritdinova, Asiya F; Kardymon, Olga L; Fedorova, Maria S; Melnikova, Nataliya V; Stepanov, Oleg A; Zaretsky, Andrew R; Kaprin, Andrey D; Alekseev, Boris Y; Dmitriev, Alexey A; Kudryavtseva, Anna V

    2016-01-01

    Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is well known that the chronic inflammation can promote the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, a number of studies revealed a potential association between colorectal inflammation, cancer progression, and infection caused by enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF). Bacterial enterotoxin activates spermine oxidase (SMO), which produces spermidine and H2O2 as byproducts of polyamine catabolism, which, in turn, enhances inflammation and tissue injury. Using qPCR analysis, we estimated the expression of SMOX gene and ETBF colonization in CRC patients. We found no statistically significant associations between them. Then we selected genes involved in polyamine metabolism, metabolic reprogramming, and inflammation regulation and estimated their expression in CRC. We observed overexpression of SMOX, ODC1, SRM, SMS, MTAP, c-Myc, C/EBPβ (CREBP), and other genes. We found that two mediators of metabolic reprogramming, inflammation, and cell proliferation c-Myc and C/EBPβ may serve as regulators of polyamine metabolism genes (SMOX, AZIN1, MTAP, SRM, ODC1, AMD1, and AGMAT) as they are overexpressed in tumors, have binding site according to ENCODE ChIP-Seq data, and demonstrate strong coexpression with their targets. Thus, increased polyamine metabolism in CRC could be driven by c-Myc and C/EBPβ rather than ETBF infection.

  14. The Dysregulation of Polyamine Metabolism in Colorectal Cancer Is Associated with Overexpression of c-Myc and C/EBPβ rather than Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis Infection

    PubMed Central

    Snezhkina, Anastasiya V.; Lipatova, Anastasiya V.; Sadritdinova, Asiya F.; Kardymon, Olga L.; Fedorova, Maria S.; Kaprin, Andrey D.

    2016-01-01

    Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is well known that the chronic inflammation can promote the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, a number of studies revealed a potential association between colorectal inflammation, cancer progression, and infection caused by enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF). Bacterial enterotoxin activates spermine oxidase (SMO), which produces spermidine and H2O2 as byproducts of polyamine catabolism, which, in turn, enhances inflammation and tissue injury. Using qPCR analysis, we estimated the expression of SMOX gene and ETBF colonization in CRC patients. We found no statistically significant associations between them. Then we selected genes involved in polyamine metabolism, metabolic reprogramming, and inflammation regulation and estimated their expression in CRC. We observed overexpression of SMOX, ODC1, SRM, SMS, MTAP, c-Myc, C/EBPβ (CREBP), and other genes. We found that two mediators of metabolic reprogramming, inflammation, and cell proliferation c-Myc and C/EBPβ may serve as regulators of polyamine metabolism genes (SMOX, AZIN1, MTAP, SRM, ODC1, AMD1, and AGMAT) as they are overexpressed in tumors, have binding site according to ENCODE ChIP-Seq data, and demonstrate strong coexpression with their targets. Thus, increased polyamine metabolism in CRC could be driven by c-Myc and C/EBPβ rather than ETBF infection. PMID:27433286

  15. Quilamine HQ1-44, an iron chelator vectorized toward tumor cells by the polyamine transport system, inhibits HCT116 tumor growth without adverse effect.

    PubMed

    Renaud, Stéphanie; Corcé, Vincent; Cannie, Isabelle; Ropert, Martine; Lepage, Sylvie; Loréal, Olivier; Deniaud, David; Gaboriau, François

    2015-08-01

    Tumor cell growth requires large iron quantities and the deprivation of this metal induced by synthetic metal chelators is therefore an attractive method for limiting the cancer cell proliferation. The antiproliferative effect of the Quilamine HQ1-44, a new iron chelator vectorized toward tumor cells by a polyamine chain, is related to its high selectivity for the Polyamine Transport System (PTS), allowing its preferential uptake by tumoral cells. The difference in PTS activation between healthy cells and tumor cells enables tumor cells to be targeted, whereas the strong dependence of these cells on iron ensures a secondary targeting. Here, we demonstrated in vitro that HQ1-44 inhibits DNA synthesis and cell proliferation of HCT116 cells by modulating the intracellular metabolism of both iron and polyamines. Moreover, in vivo, in xenografted athymic nude mice, we found that HQ1-44 was as effective as cis-platin in reducing HCT116 tumor growth, without its side effects. Furthermore, as suggested by in vitro data, the depletion in exogenous or endogenous polyamines, known to activate the PTS, dramatically enhanced the antitumor efficiency of HQ1-44. These data support the need for further studies to assess the value of HQ1-44 as an adjuvant treatment in cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Loss of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins as a determinant of polyamine analog-induced apoptosis in human melanoma cells.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ying; Kramer, Debora L; Li, Fengzhi; Porter, Carl W

    2003-08-07

    We have previously shown that the clinically relevant polyamine analog N1,N11-diethylnorspermine (DENSPM) causes rapid apoptosis in human melanoma SK-MEL-28 cells via a series of events that include mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and activation of the caspase cascade. Upstream to these events, DENSPM downregulates polyamine biosynthesis and potently upregulates polyamine catabolism at the level of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT). In searching for downstream effectors that either contribute to or abrogate the apoptotic response, we observed that DENSPM treatment of SK-MEL-28 cells for 30 h led to cytosolic release of Smac/Diablo, a mitochondrial protein known to bind and inhibit the function of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). Subsequently, we found that DENSPM markedly lowered survivin and ML-IAP protein (but not XIAP) levels by 18 h via an apparently Smac/Diablo-independent pathway. Proteasome inhibitors fully prevented survivin and ML-IAP protein loss as well as apoptosis, suggesting that the proteasome-mediated degradation of survivin and ML-IAP is causally linked to the cellular outcome. We also observed that structural analogs of DENSPM which differentially induced SSAT and apoptosis lowered survivin and ML-IAP levels in a manner that correlated with enzyme activity. The linkage between IAPs and SSAT was more directly established by the finding that selective prevention of SSAT induction by small interfering RNA prevented survivin and ML-IAP loss as well as apoptosis during DENSPM treatment. Among the melanoma cell lines (SK-MEL-28, MALME-3M, A375 and LOX), survivin degradation correlated temporally with the onset of DENSPM induced apoptosis or growth inhibition. By contrast, ML-IAP degradation occurred only during rapid apoptosis seen in SK-MEL-28 cells. These data suggest a sequence of events whereby DENSPM induction of SSAT leads to loss of IAP proteins and a more fulminate apoptotic response. The findings implicate survivin

  17. Vibrio cholerae NspS, a homologue of ABC-type periplasmic solute binding proteins, facilitates transduction of polyamine signals independent of their transport

    PubMed Central

    Cockerell, Steven R.; Rutkovsky, Alex C.; Zayner, Josiah P.; Cooper, Rebecca E.; Porter, Lindsay R.; Pendergraft, Sam S.; Parker, Zach M.; McGinnis, Marcus W.

    2014-01-01

    The polyamines norspermidine and spermidine are among the environmental signals that regulate Vibrio cholerae biofilm formation. The effects of these polyamines are mediated by NspS, a member of the bacterial periplasmic solute binding protein superfamily. Almost all members of this superfamily characterized to date are components of ATP-binding cassette-type transporters involved in nutrient uptake. Consequently, in the current annotation of the V. cholerae genome, NspS has been assigned a function in transport. The objective of this study was to further characterize NspS and investigate its potential role in transport. Our results support a role for NspS in signal transduction in response to norspermidine and spermidine, but not their transport. In addition, we provide evidence that these polyamine signals are processed by c-di-GMP signalling networks in the cell. Furthermore, we present comparative genomics analyses which reveal the presence of NspS-like proteins in a variety of bacteria, suggesting that periplasmic ligand binding proteins may be widely utilized for sensory transduction. PMID:24530989

  18. Form-Stable Phase Change Materials Based on Eutectic Mixture of Tetradecanol and Fatty Acids for Building Energy Storage: Preparation and Performance Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Jingyu; Lu, Shilei; Kong, Xiangfei; Liu, Shangbao; li, Yiran

    2013-01-01

    This paper is focused on preparation and performance analysis of a series of form-stable phase change materials (FSPCMs), based on eutectic mixtures as phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage and high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) polymer as supporting materials. The PCMs were eutectic mixtures of tetradecanol (TD)–capric acid (CA), TD–lauric acid (LA), and TD–myristic acid (MA), which were rarely explored before. Thermal properties of eutectic mixtures and FSPCMs were measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The onset melting/solidification temperatures of form-stable PCMs were 19.13 °C/13.32 °C (FS TD–CA PCM), 24.53 °C/24.92 °C (FS TD–LA PCM), and 33.15 °C/30.72 °C (FS TD–MA PCM), respectively, and latent heats were almost greater than 90 J/g. The surface morphologies and chemical stability of form-stable PCM were surveyed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, respectively. The thermal cycling test revealed that the thermal reliability of these three form-stable PCMs was good. Thermal storage/release experiment indicated melting/solidification time was shortened by introducing 10 wt % aluminum powder (AP). It is concluded that these FSPCMs can act as potential building thermal storage materials in terms of their satisfactory thermal properties. PMID:28788358

  19. Form-Stable Phase Change Materials Based on Eutectic Mixture of Tetradecanol and Fatty Acids for Building Energy Storage: Preparation and Performance Analysis.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jingyu; Lu, Shilei; Kong, Xiangfei; Liu, Shangbao; Li, Yiran

    2013-10-22

    This paper is focused on preparation and performance analysis of a series of form-stable phase change materials (FSPCMs), based on eutectic mixtures as phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage and high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) polymer as supporting materials. The PCMs were eutectic mixtures of tetradecanol (TD)-capric acid (CA), TD-lauric acid (LA), and TD-myristic acid (MA), which were rarely explored before. Thermal properties of eutectic mixtures and FSPCMs were measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The onset melting/solidification temperatures of form-stable PCMs were 19.13 °C/13.32 °C (FS TD-CA PCM), 24.53 °C/24.92 °C (FS TD-LA PCM), and 33.15 °C/30.72 °C (FS TD-MA PCM), respectively, and latent heats were almost greater than 90 J/g. The surface morphologies and chemical stability of form-stable PCM were surveyed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, respectively. The thermal cycling test revealed that the thermal reliability of these three form-stable PCMs was good. Thermal storage/release experiment indicated melting/solidification time was shortened by introducing 10 wt % aluminum powder (AP). It is concluded that these FSPCMs can act as potential building thermal storage materials in terms of their satisfactory thermal properties.

  20. Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone), a polyamine analogue, sensitized γ-radiation-induced cell death in HL-60 leukemia cells Sensitizing effect of MGBG on γ-radiation-induced cell death.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jin Sik; Lee, Jin; Chung, Hai Won; Choi, Han; Paik, Sang Gi; Kim, In Gyu

    2006-09-01

    Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), a polyamine analogue, has been known to inhibit the biosynthesis of polyamines, which are important in cell proliferation. We showed that MGBG treatment significantly affected γ-radiation-induced cell cycle transition (G(1)/G(0)→S→G(2)/M) and thus γ-radiation-induced cell death. As determined by micronuclei and comet assay, we showed that it sensitized the cytotoxic effect induced by γ-radiation. One of the reasons is that polyamine depletion by MGBG treatment did not effectively protect against the chemical (OH) or physical damage to DNA caused by γ-radiation. Through in vitro experiment, we confirmed that DNA strand breaks induced by γ-radiation was prevented more effectively in the presence of polyamines (spermine and spermidine) than in the absence of polyamines. MGBG also blocks the cell cycle transition caused by γ-radiation (G(2) arrest), which helps protect cells by allowing time for DNA repair before entry into mitosis or apoptosis, via the down regulation of cyclin D1, which mediates the transition from G(1) to S phase of cell cycle, and ataxia telangiectasia mutated, which is involved in the DNA sensing, repair and cell cycle check point. Therefore, the abrogation of G(2) arrest sensitizes cells to the effect of γ-radiation. As a result, γ-radiation-induced cell death increased by about 2.5-3.0-fold in cells treated with MGBG. However, exogenous spermidine supplement partially relieved this γ-radiation-induced cytotoxicity and cell death. These findings suggest a potentially therapeutic strategy for increasing the cytotoxic efficacy of γ-radiation.

  1. Processing of odor mixtures in the zebrafish olfactory bulb.

    PubMed

    Tabor, Rico; Yaksi, Emre; Weislogel, Jan-Marek; Friedrich, Rainer W

    2004-07-21

    Components of odor mixtures often are not perceived individually, suggesting that neural representations of mixtures are not simple combinations of the representations of the components. We studied odor responses to binary mixtures of amino acids and food extracts at different processing stages in the olfactory bulb (OB) of zebrafish. Odor-evoked input to the OB was measured by imaging Ca2+ signals in afferents to olfactory glomeruli. Activity patterns evoked by mixtures were predictable within narrow limits from the component patterns, indicating that mixture interactions in the peripheral olfactory system are weak. OB output neurons, the mitral cells (MCs), were recorded extra- and intracellularly and responded to odors with stimulus-dependent temporal firing rate modulations. Responses to mixtures of amino acids often were dominated by one of the component responses. Responses to mixtures of food extracts, in contrast, were more distinct from both component responses. These results show that mixture interactions can result from processing in the OB. Moreover, our data indicate that mixture interactions in the OB become more pronounced with increasing overlap of input activity patterns evoked by the components. Emerging from these results are rules of mixture interactions that may explain behavioral data and provide a basis for understanding the processing of natural odor stimuli in the OB.

  2. Spermine oxidase, a polyamine catabolic enzyme that links Helicobacter pylori CagA and gastric cancer risk

    PubMed Central

    Chaturvedi, Rupesh; de Sablet, Thibaut; Peek, Richard M.; Wilson, Keith T.

    2012-01-01

    We have recently reported that Helicobacter pylori strains expressing the virulence factor cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) stimulate increased levels of spermine oxidase (SMO) in gastric epithelial cells, while cagA– strains did not. SMO catabolizes the polyamine spermine and produces H2O2 that results in both apoptosis and DNA damage. Exogenous overexpression of CagA confirmed these findings, and knockdown or inhibition of SMO blocked CagA-mediated apoptosis and DNA damage. The strong association of SMO, apoptosis, and DNA damage was also demonstrated in humans infected with cagA+, but not cagA– strains. In infected gerbils and mice, DNA damage was CagA-dependent and only present in epithelial cells that expressed SMO. We also discovered SMOhigh gastric epithelial cells from infected animals with dysplasia that are resistant to apoptosis despite high levels of DNA damage. Inhibition of polyamine synthesis or SMO could abrogate the development of this cell population that may represent precursors for neoplastic transformation. PMID:22555547

  3. Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of new di- and polyamine caffeine analogues.

    PubMed

    Jasiewicz, Beata; Sierakowska, Arleta; Jankowski, Wojciech; Hoffmann, Marcin; Piorońska, Weronika; Górnicka, Agnieszka; Bielawska, Anna; Bielawski, Krzysztof; Mrówczyńska, Lucyna

    2018-04-18

    A series of new di- and polyamine-caffeine analogues were synthesized and characterized by NMR, FT-IR and MS spectroscopic methods. To access stability of the investigated caffeine analogues Molecular Dynamic simulations were performed in NAMD 2.9 assuming CHARMM36 force field. To evaluate the antioxidant capacity of new compounds, three different antioxidant assays were used, namely 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical (DPPH • ) scavenging activity, ferrous ions (Fe 2+ ) chelating activity and Fe 3+ →Fe 2+ reducing ability. In vitro, the ability of new derivatives to protect human erythrocytes against oxidative haemolysis induced by free radical from 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) was estimated. The cytotoxic activity was tested using MCF-7 breast cancer cells and human erythrocytes. All compounds showed the antioxidant capacity depending mostly on their ferrous ions chelating activity. In the presence of AAPH, some derivatives were able to effectively inhibit the oxidative haemolysis. Two derivatives, namely 8-(methyl(2-(methylamino)ethyl)-amino)caffeine and 8-(methyl(3-(methylamino)propyl)amino)caffeine, showed cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells but not against human erythrocytes. Therefore, it is concluded that the selected di- and polyamine caffeine analogues, depending on their chemical structure, were able to minimize the oxidative stress and to inhibit the tumour cell grow. The confirmed antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of some caffeine derivatives make them attractive for potential applications in food or pharmaceutical industries.

  4. Alterations in bone marrow and blood mononuclear cell polyamine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) levels: phase I evaluation of alpha-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) treatment of human hematological malignancies.

    PubMed

    Maddox, A M; Freireich, E J; Keating, M J; Haddox, M K

    1988-03-01

    Nine patients with hematological malignancies were treated with difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). The number of circulating blast cells decreased in all of the patients treated with DFMO and MGBG for longer than 1 wk. Morphological evidence of myeloid maturation was evident in four patients with leukemia and the circulating M Protein decreased in one patient with multiple myeloma. The polyamine content of the mononuclear cells in both the peripheral blood and bone marrow was transiently increased after the initial MGBG dose. During administration of DFMO decreases were achieved in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell putrescine levels in 7 patients, spermidine levels in 5 patients, and spermine levels in 4 patients. Alterations in bone marrow mononuclear cell polyamine levels were similar to those which occurred in the peripheral cells. An average of 9 days of DFMO treatment was required to lower mononuclear cell polyamine levels. Three of the 4 evaluable patients receiving multiple MGBG doses had an increased mononuclear cell content of MGBG after DFMO pretreatment. Enhancement of cellular MGBG levels was not directly correlated to the degree of cellular polyamine depletion.

  5. Regulation of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase by polyamines in Ehrlich ascites-carcinoma cells grown in culture

    PubMed Central

    Alhonen-Hongisto, Leena

    1980-01-01

    1. The mechanism of stimulation of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) activity by inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17), namely dl-α-difluoromethylornithine, 1,3-diaminopropane and 1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol, was studied in Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells grown in suspension cultures. 2. Difluoromethylornithine and diaminopropane, although decreasing the content of putrescine and spermidine, markedly stimulated adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity after exposure of the cells to the drugs for 8h, whereas the effect of diaminopropanol only became apparent many hours later. In tumour cells exposed to any of the inhibitors, a close negative correlation existed between the activity of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and the intracellular concentration of spermidine and/or spermidine plus spermine, suggesting that a depletion of higher polyamines triggered enhancement of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity. 3. The mechanism of difluoromethylornithine- and diaminopropane-induced stimulation of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase involved (a) a marked increase in the apparent half-life of the enzyme and (b) an induction of enhanced enzyme synthesis. Diaminopropanol seemed to act solely via an induction mechanism. 4. The increased adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity elicited by difluoromethylornithine could be restored to control values by micromolar concentrations of exogenous spermidine and spermine in 4h and by putrescine in 22h. In addition to the natural polyamines, elevated adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity could be repressed by 3,3′-iminodipropylamine, a close analogue of spermidine, but not by non-physiological diamines. 5. Addition of spermidine and actinomycin D to cultures treated with difluoromethylornithine produced a comparable decay of enhanced adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity (with an apparent half-life of about 2.5h), whereas the effect of cycloheximide was much more rapid. The present results suggest

  6. The selective conversion of glutamic acid in amino acid mixtures using glutamate decarboxylase--a means of separating amino acids for synthesizing biobased chemicals.

    PubMed

    Teng, Yinglai; Scott, Elinor L; Sanders, Johan P M

    2014-01-01

    Amino acids (AAs) derived from hydrolysis of protein rest streams are interesting feedstocks for the chemical industry due to their functionality. However, separation of AAs is required before they can be used for further applications. Electrodialysis may be applied to separate AAs, but its efficiency is limited when separating AAs with similar isoelectric points. To aid the separation, specific conversion of an AA to a useful product with different charge behavior to the remaining compounds is desired. Here the separation of L-aspartic acid (Asp) and L-glutamic acid (Glu) was studied. L-Glutamate α-decarboxylase (GAD, Type I, EC 4.1.1.15) was applied to specifically convert Glu into γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA has a different charge behavior from Asp therefore allowing a potential separation by electrodialysis. Competitive inhibition and reduced operational stability caused by Asp could be eliminated by maintaining a sufficiently high concentration of Glu. Immobilization of GAD does not reduce the enzyme's initial activity. However, the operational stability was slightly reduced. An initial study on the reaction operating in a continuous mode was performed using a column reactor packed with immobilized GAD. As the reaction mixture was only passed once through the reactor, the conversion of Glu was lower than expected. To complete the conversion of Glu, the stream containing Asp and unreacted Glu might be recirculated back to the reactor after GABA has been removed. Overall, the reaction by GAD is specific to Glu and can be applied to aid the electrodialysis separation of Asp and Glu. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  7. Polyamines and their biosynthetic enzymes during somatic embryo development in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.)

    Treesearch

    Rakesh Minocha; Subhash C. Minocha; Stephanie Long

    2004-01-01

    The major objective of this study was to determine if the observed changes in polyamines and their biosynthetic enzymes during somatic embryo development were specifically related to either the stage of the embryo development or to the duration of time spent on the maturation medium. Somatic embryos of red spruce (Picea rubens) at different...

  8. Toxicity of naphthenic acids to invertebrates: Extracts from oil sands process-affected water versus commercial mixtures.

    PubMed

    Bartlett, Adrienne J; Frank, Richard A; Gillis, Patricia L; Parrott, Joanne L; Marentette, Julie R; Brown, Lisa R; Hooey, Tina; Vanderveen, Ruth; McInnis, Rodney; Brunswick, Pamela; Shang, Dayue; Headley, John V; Peru, Kerry M; Hewitt, L Mark

    2017-08-01

    The toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been primarily attributed to polar organic constituents, including naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). Our objective was to assess the toxicity of NAFCs derived from fresh and aged OSPW, as well as commercial naphthenic acid (NA) mixtures. Exposures were conducted with three aquatic species: Hyalella azteca (freshwater amphipod), Vibrio fischeri (marine bacterium, Microtox ® assay), and Lampsilis cardium (freshwater mussel larvae (glochidia)). Commercial NAs were more toxic than NAFCs, with differences of up to 30-, 4-, and 120-fold for H. azteca, V. fischeri, and L. cardium, respectively, demonstrating that commercial NAs are not reliable surrogates for assessing the toxicity of NAFCs. Differences in toxicity between species were striking for both commercial NAs and NAFCs. Overall, V. fischeri was the least sensitive and H. azteca was the most sensitive organism. Responses of V. fischeri and H. azteca to NAFC exposures were consistent (< 2-fold difference) regardless of source and age of OSPW; however, effects on L. cardium ranged 17-fold between NAFCs. NAFCs derived from fresh OSPW sources were similarly or less toxic to those from aged OSPW. Our results support the need to better characterize the complex mixtures associated with bitumen-influenced waters, both chemically and toxicologically. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide are involved in polyamine-induced growth inhibition in wheat plants.

    PubMed

    Recalde, Laura; Vázquez, Analía; Groppa, María D; Benavides, María Patricia

    2018-03-06

    Polyamines (PAs) produce H 2 O 2 and nitric oxide (NO) during their normal catabolism and modulate plant growth and development. To explore the biochemical basis of PAs-induced growth inhibition in Triticum aestivum L seedlings, we examined the role of O 2 ·- , H 2 O 2 or NO in shoot and root development. Although all PA treatments resulted in a variable reduction of root and shoot elongation, spermine (Spm) caused the greater inhibition in a similar way to that observed with the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP). In both cases, O 2 ·- production was completely blocked whereas H 2 O 2 formation was high in the root apex under SNP or Spm treatments. Catalase recovered root and shoot growth in SNP but not in Spm-treated plants, revealing the involvement of H 2 O 2 in SNP-root length reduction. The addition of the NO scavenger, cPTIO, restored root length in SNP- or Spm-treated plants, respectively, and partially recovered O 2 ·- levels, compared to the plants exposed to PAs or SNP without cPTIO. A strong correlation was observed between root growth restoration and O 2 ·- accumulation after treating roots with SNP + aminoguanidine, a diamine oxidase inhibitor, and with SNP + 1,8-diaminoctane, a polyamine oxidase inhibitor, confirming the essential role of O 2 ·- formation for root growth and the importance of the origin and level of H 2 O 2 . The differential modulation of wheat growth by PAs through reactive oxygen species or NO is discussed. Graphical abstract Polyamines, nitric oxide and ROS interaction in plants during plant growth.

  10. A systems analysis of the chemosensitivity of breast cancer cells to the polyamine analogue PG-11047

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kuo, Wen-Lin; Das, Debopriya; Ziyad, Safiyyah

    2009-11-14

    Polyamines regulate important cellular functions and polyamine dysregulation frequently occurs in cancer. The objective of this study was to use a systems approach to study the relative effects of PG-11047, a polyamine analogue, across breast cancer cells derived from different patients and to identify genetic markers associated with differential cytotoxicity. A panel of 48 breast cell lines that mirror many transcriptional and genomic features present in primary human breast tumours were used to study the antiproliferative activity of PG-11047. Sensitive cell lines were further examined for cell cycle distribution and apoptotic response. Cell line responses, quantified by the GI50 (dosemore » required for 50% relative growth inhibition) were correlated with the omic profiles of the cell lines to identify markers that predict response and cellular functions associated with drug sensitivity. The concentrations of PG-11047 needed to inhibit growth of members of the panel of breast cell lines varied over a wide range, with basal-like cell lines being inhibited at lower concentrations than the luminal cell lines. Sensitive cell lines showed a significant decrease in S phase fraction at doses that produced little apoptosis. Correlation of the GI50 values with the omic profiles of the cell lines identified genomic, transcriptional and proteomic variables associated with response. A 13-gene transcriptional marker set was developed as a predictor of response to PG-11047 that warrants clinical evaluation. Analyses of the pathways, networks and genes associated with response to PG-11047 suggest that response may be influenced by interferon signaling and differential inhibition of aspects of motility and epithelial to mesenchymal transition.« less

  11. Synthesis of water-soluble polyamine derivatives effective as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists.

    PubMed

    Masuko, Takashi; Yoshida, Shuhei; Metori, Koichi; Kizawa, Yasuo; Kusama, Tadashi; Miyake, Muneharu

    2010-06-01

    The novel water-soluble N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, N-{4-[4-(4-Guanidinobutylamino)butylamino]butyl}-p-toluenesulfonamide trihydrochloride (1a, TsHSPMG), N-{4-[4-(4-Guanidinobutylamino)butylamino]butyl}butane-1-sulfonamide trihydrochloride (1b, BsHSPMG), N-{3-[4-(3-Guanidinopropylamino)butylamino]propyl}-p-toluenesulfonamide trihydrochroride (2a, TsSPMG) and N-{3-[4-(3-Guanidinopropylamino)butylamino]propyl}butane-1-sulfonamide trihydrochroride (2b, BsSPMG), were synthesized, and the effects of these polyamine derivatives on NMDA receptors were studied using voltage-clamp recordings of recombinant NMDA receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Although spermine potentiates 153% and 310% of NMDA (NR1A/NR2B) receptors in the presence of saturated and unsaturated glycine, respectively, all the novel polyamine derivatives, TsHSPMG (1a), BsHSPMG (1b), TsSPMG (2a) and BsSPMG (2b), significantly inhibited NR1A/NR2B receptors in both conditions. The degree of NMDA receptor inhibition by TsHSPMG (1a) and BsHSPMG (1b) was stronger than that by TsSPMG (2a) and BsSPMG (2b).

  12. Regulatory role of miRNAs in polyamine gene expression in the prefrontal cortex of depressed suicide completers.

    PubMed

    Lopez, Juan Pablo; Fiori, Laura M; Gross, Jeffrey A; Labonte, Benoit; Yerko, Volodymyr; Mechawar, Naguib; Turecki, Gustavo

    2014-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. These molecules have been the subject of growing interest as they are believed to control the regulation of a large number of genes, including those expressed in the brain. Evidence suggests that miRNAs could be involved in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Alterations in metabolic enzymes of the polyamine system have been reported to play a role in predisposition to suicidal behaviour. We have previously shown the expression of the polyamine genes SAT1 and SMOX to be down-regulated in the brains of suicide completers. In this study, we hypothesized that the dysregulation of these genes in depressed suicide completers could be influenced by miRNA post-transcriptional regulation. Using a stringent target prediction analysis, we identified several miRNAs that target the 3'UTR of SAT1 and SMOX. We profiled the expression of 10 miRNAs in the prefrontal cortex (BA44) of suicide completers (N = 15) and controls (N = 16) using qRT-PCR. We found that several miRNAs showed significant up-regulation in the prefrontal cortex of suicide completers compared to psychiatric healthy controls. Furthermore, we demonstrated a significant correlation between these miRNAs and the expression levels of both SAT1 and SMOX. Our results suggest a relationship between miRNAs and polyamine gene expression in the suicide brain, and postulate a mechanism for SAT1 and SMOX down-regulation by post-transcriptional activity of miRNAs.

  13. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of polyamine-memantine hybrids as NMDA channel blockers.

    PubMed

    Kumamoto, Takuya; Nakajima, Marie; Uga, Reina; Ihayazaka, Naoko; Kashihara, Haruna; Katakawa, Kazuaki; Ishikawa, Tsutomu; Saiki, Ryotaro; Nishimura, Kazuhiro; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2018-02-01

    N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors have been implicated in learning and memory, and may also play a central role in various conditions leading to neuronal degradation. NMDA receptor antagonists could therefore be of therapeutic benefit for a number of neurological disorders. We have designed hybrid compounds of polyamines and memantine, both of which function as NMDA channel blockers. The triamine derivative with a guanidine moiety showed more potent antagonistic activity than memantine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Permittivity of naphthenic acid-water mixture.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Sabyasachi; Meda, Venkatesh; Dalai, Ajay

    2007-01-01

    Naphthenic acid (NA) is predominantly a mono-carboxylic acid obtained as a by-product of petroleum refining with variable composition and ingredients. It is reported that water affected by processes in the petroleum industries generally contains 40-120 mg IL of naphthenic acid which is considered to be in the range of toxicity to human consumption [Clemente et. al, 2005; McMartin, 2003]. This contaminated water needs treatment before its use as drinking water by remote communities. Recent literature suggests that NAs could be separated from diesel fuel using microwave radiation [Lingzhao et. al, 2004]. Removal of naphthenic acid from vacuum cut #1 distillate oil of Daqing using microwaves has also been reported by Huang et. al [2006]. The microwave treatment can be applied to drinking water containing small concentrations of naphthenic acid. In this case permittivity information is useful in designing a microwave applicator and modeling studies. Permittivity measurements were done using a HP 8510 Vector Network Analyzer and coaxial probe reflection method to study the dielectric properties of naphthenic acid in water. The effects of process variables such as frequency, concentration and temperature on dielectric properties were determined.

  15. A Mixture of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid Induces Similar Behavioural Responses, but Different Gene Expression Profiles in Zebrafish Larvae

    PubMed Central

    Khezri, Abdolrahman; Fraser, Thomas W. K.; Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, Rasoul; Kamstra, Jorke H.; Berg, Vidar; Zimmer, Karin E.; Ropstad, Erik

    2017-01-01

    Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread in the environment and some may be neurotoxic. As we are exposed to complex mixtures of POPs, we aimed to investigate how a POP mixture based on Scandinavian human blood data affects behaviour and neurodevelopment during early life in zebrafish. Embryos/larvae were exposed to a series of sub-lethal doses and behaviour was examined at 96 h post fertilization (hpf). In order to determine the sensitivity window to the POP mixture, exposure models of 6 to 48 and 48 to 96 hpf were used. The expression of genes related to neurological development was also assessed. Results indicate that the POP mixture increases the swimming speed of larval zebrafish following exposure between 48 to 96 hpf. This behavioural effect was associated with the perfluorinated compounds, and more specifically with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The expression of genes related to the stress response, GABAergic, dopaminergic, histaminergic, serotoninergic, cholinergic systems and neuronal maintenance, were altered. However, there was little overlap in those genes that were significantly altered by the POP mixture and PFOS. Our findings show that the POP mixture and PFOS can have a similar effect on behaviour, yet alter the expression of genes relevant to neurological development differently. PMID:28146072

  16. Spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of betamethasone valerate and fusidic acid in their binary mixture.

    PubMed

    Lotfy, Hayam Mahmoud; Salem, Hesham; Abdelkawy, Mohammad; Samir, Ahmed

    2015-04-05

    Five spectrophotometric methods were successfully developed and validated for the determination of betamethasone valerate and fusidic acid in their binary mixture. Those methods are isoabsorptive point method combined with the first derivative (ISO Point--D1) and the recently developed and well established methods namely ratio difference (RD) and constant center coupled with spectrum subtraction (CC) methods, in addition to derivative ratio (1DD) and mean centering of ratio spectra (MCR). New enrichment technique called spectrum addition technique was used instead of traditional spiking technique. The proposed spectrophotometric procedures do not require any separation steps. Accuracy, precision and linearity ranges of the proposed methods were determined and the specificity was assessed by analyzing synthetic mixtures of both drugs. They were applied to their pharmaceutical formulation and the results obtained were statistically compared to that of official methods. The statistical comparison showed that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and the official ones regarding both accuracy and precision. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Light and colour as analytical detection tools: a journey into the periodic table using polyamines to bio-inspired systems as chemosensors.

    PubMed

    Lodeiro, Carlos; Capelo, José Luis; Mejuto, Juan Carlos; Oliveira, Elisabete; Santos, Hugo M; Pedras, Bruno; Nuñez, Cristina

    2010-08-01

    This critical review describes some developments on the chemistry of fluorescent and colorimetric molecular probes or chemosensors, based on polyamines and associated compounds having oxygen and/or sulfur as donor atoms. The reported systems are essentially based on some selected published work in this field in the last five years, and in the work developed by the authors from 2000 onwards. Some interesting properties beyond sensing molecules, ions or/and cations by fluorescence, colorimetry as well as by MALDI-TOF MS spectrometry can arise from these systems. A short brief on different examples activated by PET (photoinduced electron transfer), ICT (internal charge transfer) and EET (electronic energy transfer) phenomena will be provided. Finally the introduction of bio-inspired compounds derived from emissive amino acid or short peptide systems and nanoparticle devices to detect metal ions will be reviewed (202 references).

  18. The cost-effective synthesis of furan- and thienyl-based microporous polyaminals for adsorption of gases and organic vapors.

    PubMed

    Li, Guiyang; Zhang, Biao; Yan, Jun; Wang, Zhonggang

    2016-01-21

    This work reveals that furfural and 2-thenaldehyde can readily react with melamine via "one-step" polycondensation to yield hyper-cross-linked sulfur-, nitrogen- and oxygen-rich microporous polyaminals with promising applications in adsorption of gases and toxic organic vapors.

  19. Arginaseless Neurospora: Genetics, Physiology, and Polyamine Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Davis, Rowland H.; Lawless, Mary B.; Port, Loretta A.

    1970-01-01

    Four arginaseless mutants of Neurospora crassa have been isolated. All carry mutations which lie at a single locus, aga, on linkage group VIIR. A study of aga strains shows the arginase reaction to be the major, perhaps the only, route of arginine consumption in Neurospora other than protein synthesis. Ornithine-δ-transaminase, the second enzyme of the arginine catabolic pathway, is present and normally inducible by arginine in aga strains, and ornithine transcarbamylase, an enzyme of arginine synthesis, also has normal activity. Arginine inhibits the growth of aga strains. The inhibition can be reversed by spermidine, putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane), or ornithine. The results suggest that ornithine is the major source of the putrescine moiety of polyamines in Neurospora, and that putrescine is an essential growth factor for this organism. The inhibition of aga strains by arginine can be attributed to feedback inhibition of ornithine synthesis by arginine, combined with the complete lack of ornithine normally provided by the arginase reaction. PMID:5419257

  20. Zirconium hydride containing explosive composition

    DOEpatents

    Walker, Franklin E.; Wasley, Richard J.

    1981-01-01

    An improved explosive composition is disclosed and comprises a major portion of an explosive having a detonation velocity between about 1500 and 10,000 meters per second and a minor amount of a donor additive comprising a non-explosive compound or mixture of non-explosive compounds which when subjected to an energy fluence of 1000 calories/cm.sup.2 or less is capable of releasing free radicals each having a molecular weight between 1 and 120. Exemplary donor additives are dibasic acids, polyamines and metal hydrides.

  1. Separation of certain carboxylic acids utilizing cation exchange membranes

    DOEpatents

    Chum, H.L.; Sopher, D.W.

    1983-05-09

    A method of substantially separating monofunctional lower carboxylic acids from a liquid mixture containing the acids wherein the pH of the mixture is adjusted to a value in the range of from about 1 to about 5 to form protonated acids. The mixture is heated to an elevated temperature not greater than about 100/sup 0/C and brought in contact with one side of a perfluorinated cation exchange membrane having sulfonate or carboxylate groups or mixtures thereof with the mixture containing the protonated acids. A pressure gradient can be established across the membrane with the mixture being under higher pressure, so that protonated monofunctional lower carboxylic acids pass through the membrane at a substantially faster rate than the remainder of the mixture thereby substantially separating the acids from the mixture.

  2. Separation of certain carboxylic acids utilizing cation exchange membranes

    DOEpatents

    Chum, Helena L.; Sopher, David W.

    1984-01-01

    A method of substantially separating monofunctional lower carboxylic acids from a liquid mixture containing the acids wherein the pH of the mixture is adjusted to a value in the range of from about 1 to about 5 to form protonated acids. The mixture is heated to an elevated temperature not greater than about 100.degree. C. and brought in contact with one side of a perfluorinated cation exchange membrane having sulfonate or carboxylate groups or mixtures thereof with the mixture containing the protonated acids. A pressure gradient can be established across the membrane with the mixture being under higher pressure, so that protonated monofunctional lower carboxylic acids pass through the membrane at a substantially faster rate than the remainder of the mixture thereby substantially separating the acids from the mixture.

  3. Comprehensive Structural Characterization of the Bacterial Homospermidine Synthase–an Essential Enzyme of the Polyamine Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Krossa, Sebastian; Faust, Annette; Ober, Dietrich; Scheidig, Axel J.

    2016-01-01

    The highly conserved bacterial homospermidine synthase (HSS) is a key enzyme of the polyamine metabolism of many proteobacteria including pathogenic strains such as Legionella pneumophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; The unique usage of NAD(H) as a prosthetic group is a common feature of bacterial HSS, eukaryotic HSS and deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS). The structure of the bacterial enzyme does not possess a lysine residue in the active center and thus does not form an enzyme-substrate Schiff base intermediate as observed for the DHS. In contrast to the DHS the active site is not formed by the interface of two subunits but resides within one subunit of the bacterial HSS. Crystal structures of Blastochloris viridis HSS (BvHSS) reveal two distinct substrate binding sites, one of which is highly specific for putrescine. BvHSS features a side pocket in the direct vicinity of the active site formed by conserved amino acids and a potential substrate discrimination, guiding, and sensing mechanism. The proposed reaction steps for the catalysis of BvHSS emphasize cation-π interaction through a conserved Trp residue as a key stabilizer of high energetic transition states. PMID:26776105

  4. Polyamine and ethylene biosynthesis in relation to somatic embryogenesis in carrot (Daucus carota L.) cell cultures

    Treesearch

    Subhash C. Minocha; Cheryl A. Robie; Akhtar J. Khan; Nancy S. Papa; Andrew I. Samuelsen; Rakesh Minocha

    1990-01-01

    Carrot cell cultures provide a model experimental system for the analysis of biochemical and molecular events associated with morphogenesis in plants (3, 4, 5, 14). Among the biochemical changes accompanying somatic embryogenesis in this tissue is an increased biosynthesis ofpolyamines (1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 13). A variety of inhibitors of polyamine biosynthetic enzymes...

  5. Relative affinities of divalent polyamines and of their N-methylated analogues for helical DNA determined by sup 23 Na NMR

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Padmanabhan, S.; Brushaber, V.M.; Anderson, C.F.

    1991-07-30

    Interactions of divalent polyamines with double-helical DNA in aqueous solution are investigated by monitoring the decrease in {sup 23}Na NMR relaxation rates as NaDNA is titrated with H{sub 3}N{sup +}-(CH{sub 2}){sub m}-{sup +}NH{sup 3}, where m = 3, 4, 5, or 6. Analogous measurements are made for the same homologous series of methylated polyamines (methonium ions). The dependence of the {sup 23}Na relaxation rates on the amount of added divalent cation (M{sup 2+}) is analyzes quantitatively in terms of a two-state model. The sodium ions are assumed to be in rapid exchange between a bound state, where they are closemore » enough to DNA so that it affects their relaxation rate, and a free state in bulk solution, where their relaxation rate is the same as in solutions containing no DNA. (1) For polyamines and methonium ions of the same m, D{sub H} exceeds D{sub Me} by factors that are significantly larger for m = 3 and 4 than for m = 5 and 6. (2) D{sub H} for m = 3 and 4 is larger than D{sub H} for m = 5 and 6. (3) D{sub Me} for m = 3 and 4 is smaller than D{sub Me} for m = 5 and 6.« less

  6. Polyamine metabolism and osmotic stress. II. Improvement of oat protoplasts by an inhibitor of arginine decarboxylase

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tiburcio, A. F.; Kaur-Sawhney, R.; Galston, A. W.

    1986-01-01

    We have attempted to improve the viability of cereal mesophyll protoplasts by pretreatment of leaves with DL-alpha-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA), a specific 'suicide' inhibitor of the enzyme (arginine decarboxylase) responsible for their osmotically induced putrescine accumulation. Leaf pretreatment with DFMA before a 6 hour osmotic shock caused a 45% decrease of putrescine and a 2-fold increase of spermine titer. After 136 hours of osmotic stress, putrescine titer in DFMA-pretreated leaves increased by only 50%, but spermidine and spermine titers increased dramatically by 3.2- and 6-fold, respectively. These increases in higher polyamines could account for the reduced chlorophyll loss and enhanced ability of pretreated leaves to incorporate tritiated thymidine, uridine, and leucine into macromolecules. Pretreatment with DFMA significantly improved the overall viability of the protoplasts isolated from these leaves. The results support the view that the osmotically induced rise in putrescine and blockage of its conversion to higher polyamines may contribute to the lack of sustained cell division in cereal mesophyll protoplasts, although other undefined factors must also play a major role.

  7. Simultaneous Determination of Acetylsalicylic Acid, Hydrochlorothiazide, Enalapril, and Atorvastatin in a Polypill-Based Quaternary Mixture by TLC.

    PubMed

    Maślanka, Anna; Stolarczyk, Mariusz; Apola, Anna; Kwiecień, Anna; Hubicka, Urszula; Opoka, Włodzimierz

    2018-05-01

    A new chromatographic-densitometric method has been developed for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the active ingredients in a simulated mixture corresponding to the PolyIran polypill, composed of acetylsalicylic acid, hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), enalapril (ENA), and atorvastatin (ATR), whose efficacy in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease has been documented in clinical trials. Chromatographic separation was performed using TLC silica gel 60 plates with fluorescent indicator F254 as the stationary phase and a mixture of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water-acetic acid (8.4 + 8 + 3 + 0.4 + 0.2, v/v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Densitometric measurements were carried out at λ = 210 nm when determining ENA and at λ = 265 nm in the case of the other drugs. Peaks of examined substances were well separated in the recorded chromatograms, enabling the evaluation of the results in terms of both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The method was specific for the analyzed components and was characterized by high sensitivity. The LOD was between 0.043 and 0.331 μg/spot, and LOQ was between 0.100 and 0.942 μg/spot. Recovery was in the range of 97.02-101.34%. The linearity range was broad and ranged from 0.600 to 6.000 μg/spot for acetylsalicylic acid, from 0.058 to 1.102 μg/spot for HCT, from 0.505 to 6.560 μg/spot for ENA, and from 0.100 to 1.000 μg/spot for ATR. The method was characterized by good precision, with RSD values that ranged from 0.10 to 2.26%.

  8. Evaluation of anti-microbial activities of ZnO, citric acid and a mixture of both against Propionibacterium acnes.

    PubMed

    Bae, J Y; Park, S N

    2016-12-01

    In this study, anti-microbial activities of ZnO of three different particle sizes of citric acid (CA) and of mixtures of ZnO and CA were confirmed against Propionibacterium acnes. ZnO with the smallest particle size showed relatively high anti-microbial activity by disc diffusion assay and broth macrodilution assay. The mixtures of ZnO and CA also showed relatively high anti-microbial activity when the particle size of ZnO was the smallest. Furthermore, anti-microbial activities of ZnO, CA and the mixtures of ZnO and CA were compared through the checkerboard assay. The results indicated that a 1 : 1 ratio of ZnO and CA resulted in the highest anti-microbial activity. The substances were confirmed to have synergic anti-microbial effects. With the time-kill curve assay, the mixture of ZnO-containing CA reduced the surviving microbial content the most after 24 h. The results of our study suggest that ZnO may not only be an anti-microbial ingredient for the prevention of and treatment of acne. The results of our study suggest that ZnO may be an anti-microbial ingredient for the prevention of and treatment of acne when mixed with CA. © 2016 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

  9. MicroRNAs, polyamines, and the activities antioxidant enzymes are associated with in vitro rooting in white pine (Pinus strobus L.).

    PubMed

    Fei, Yunjun; Xiao, Bo; Yang, Man; Ding, Qiong; Tang, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Molecular mechanism of in vitro rooting in conifer is not fully understood. After establishment of a regeneration procedure in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) using mature embryos as explants to induce shoot formation on medium containing 3 μM IAA, 6 μM BA and 6 μM TDZ and induce root formation on medium containing 0.001-0.05 μM IAA, 0.001-0.05 μM IBA, 0.001-0.05 μM TDZ, we have investigated the changes of polyamine content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes during in vitro rooting in P. strobus. Our results demonstrated that putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) did not increase in P. strobus during the first week of rooting on medium supplemented with 0.01 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), whereas the levels of Put, Spd, and Spm increased during the 1st-3rd week of culture on medium with IAA, and then decreased on medium with IAA. No such a change in Put, Spd, and Spm was observed on medium without IAA. Measurement of antioxidant enzyme activity demonstrated that the activities of polyphenol oxidase, catalase, and peroxidase slightly increased in the first week of culture and reached to the highest peak in the 3rd-5th week of culture. Quantitative RT-PCR results indicated that miR160 was increased on the 7th day, miR162, miR397, and miR408 was increased from the 21th to 35th day, miR857 was increased on the 35th day, and miR827 was increased on the 49th day. These results demonstrated that enhanced polyamine biosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and microRNAs are correlated with the root induction and formation in P. strobus.

  10. Chromonic liquid crystalline nematic phase exhibited in binary mixture of two liquid crystals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Govindaiah, T. N., E-mail: tngovi.phy@gmail.com; Sreepad, H. R.; Sridhar, K. N.

    2015-06-24

    A binary mixture of abietic acid and orthophosphoric acid (H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}) exhibits co-existence of biphasic region of Nematic+Isotropic (N+I), lyotropic Nematic (ND) and Smectic-G (SmG) phases. The mixture exhibits N+I, N and SmG phases at different concentrations and at different temperatures. Mixtures with all concentrations of abietic acid exhibit I→N+I→N→SmG phases sequentially when the specimen is cooled from its isotropic melt. These phases have been characterized by using differential scanning calorimetric, X-ray diffraction, and optical texture studies.

  11. The mechanism by which MEK/ERK regulates JNK and p38 activity in polyamine depleted IEC-6 cells during apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Bavaria, Mitul N.; Jin, Shi; Ray, Ramesh M.; Johnson, Leonard R.

    2014-01-01

    Polyamine-depletion inhibited apoptosis by activating ERK1/2, while, preventing JNK1/2 activation. MKP-1 knockdown by SiRNA increased ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38 phosphorylation and apoptosis. Therefore, we predicted that polyamines might regulate MKP1 via MEK/ERK and thereby apoptosis. We examined the role of MEK/ERK in the regulation of MKP1 and JNK, and p38 activities and apoptosis. Inhibition of MKP-1 activity with a pharmacological inhibitor, sanguinarine (SA), increased JNK1/2, p38, and ERK1/2 activities without causing apoptosis. However, pre-activation of these kinases by SA significantly increased camptothecin (CPT)-induced apoptosis suggesting different roles for MAPKs during survival and apoptosis. Inhibition of MEK1 activity prevented the expression of MKP-1 protein and augmented CPT-induced apoptosis, which correlated with increased activities of JNK1/2, caspases, and DNA fragmentation. Polyamine depleted cells had higher levels of MKP-1 protein and decreased JNK1/2 activity and apoptosis. Inhibition of MEK1 prevented MKP-1 expression and increased JNK1/2 and apoptosis. Phospho-JNK1/2, phospho-ERK2, MKP-1, and the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) formed a complex in response to TNF/CPT. Inactivation of PP2Ac had no effect on the association of MKP-1 and JNK1. However, inhibition of MKP-1 activity decreased the formation of the MKP-1, PP2Ac and JNK complex. Following inhibition by SA, MKP-1 localized in the cytoplasm, while basal and CPT-induced MKP-1 remained in the nuclear fraction. These results suggest that nuclear MKP-1 translocates to the cytoplasm, binds phosphorylated JNK and p38 resulting in dephosphorylation and decreased activity. Thus, MEK/ERK activity controls the levels of MKP-1 and, thereby, regulates JNK activity in polyamine-depleted cells. PMID:24253595

  12. Phase-change related epigenetic and physiological changes in Pinus radiata D. Don.

    PubMed

    Fraga, Mario F; Cañal, Maria Jesús; Rodríguez, Roberto

    2002-08-01

    DNA methylation and polyamine levels were analysed before and after Pinus radiata D. Don. phase change in order to identify possible molecular and physiological phase markers. Juvenile individuals (without reproductive ability) were characterised by a degree of DNA methylation of 30-35% and a ratio of free polyamines to perchloric acid-soluble polyamine conjugates greater than 1, while mature trees (with reproductive ability) had 60% 5-methylcytosine and a ratio of free polyamines to perchloric acid-soluble polyamine conjugates of less than 1. Results obtained with trees that attained reproductive capacity during the experimental period confirmed that changes in the degree of DNA methylation and polyamine concentrations found among juvenile and mature states come about immediately after the phase change. We suggest that both indicators may be associated with the loss of morphogenic ability during ageing, particularly after phase change, through a number of molecular interactions, which are subsequently discussed.

  13. Physiological responses of suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus to aluminum: changes in polyamines and inorganic ions

    Treesearch

    Xinhua Zhou; Rakesh Minocha; Subhash C. Minocha

    1995-01-01

    The effects of aluminum (Al) treatment on polyamines were studied using suspension cultures of Madagascar periwinkle [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don]. The addition of A1 (0.2, 0.5, 1.0 mM) to the suspension cultures caused a significant increase in putrescine within 24h only in freshly transferred cells. By contrast, Al treatment reduced putrescine...

  14. The effects of some polyamine biosynthetic inhibitors on growth and morphology of phytopathogenic fungi

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rajam, M. V.; Galston, A. W.

    1985-01-01

    We have studied the effects of two polyamine biosynthetic inhibitors, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and alpha-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA), and of polyamines (PAs), alone and in combination, on mycelial growth and morphology of four phytopathogenic fungi: Botrytis sp, B. cinerea, Rhizoctonia solani and Monilinia fructicola. The inhibitors were added to a Czapek agar medium to get final concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mM. DFMO and DFMA, suicide inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and arginine decarboxylase (ADC) respectively, inhibited mycelial growth strongly; the effect was generally more pronounced with DFMA than with DFMO, but each fungus had its own response pattern. The addition of the PAs putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd) to the culture medium resulted in a promotion of growth. In Botrytis sp and Monilinia fructicola exposed to inhibitors plus PAs, mycelial growth was actually increased above control values. Mycelial morphology was altered and cell size dramatically reduced in plates containing inhibitors alone, whereas with PAs alone, or in combination with inhibitors, morphology was normal, but cell length and diameters increased considerably. These results suggest that PAs are essential for growth in fungal mycelia. The inhibition caused by DFMA may be due to its arginase-mediated conversion to DFMO.

  15. A macrocyclic polyamine as an anion receptor in the capillary electrochromatographic separation of carbohydrates.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chuen-Ying; Chen, Tse-Hsien; Misra, Tarun Kumar

    2007-06-22

    An analytical approach of the 32-membered macrocyclic polyamine, 1,5,9,13,17,21,25,29-octaazacyclodotriacontane ([32]ane-N8) was described for the capillary electrochromatographic (CEC) separation of derivatized mono- and disaccharides. The column displayed reversal electroosmotic flow (EOF) at pH below 7.0, while a cathodic EOF was shown at pH above 7.0. The reductive amination of saccharides was carried out with p-aminobenzoic acid. Some parameters that affect the CEC separations were investigated. Several competitive ligands, such as Tris, EDTA and phosphate were also examined for the effect on the performance. We achieved a complete separation of all compounds as well as the excess derivatizing agent by using borate buffer (pH 9.0) in a mode of concentration gradient (60 mM inlet side and 70 mM outlet side). The relative standard deviation of the retention time measured for each sample was less than 4% in six continuous runs, suggesting that the bonded phase along with the gradient formed inside the column was quite stable. With the mixing modes of anion coordination, anion exchange, and shape discrimination, the interaction adequately accomplishes the separation of carbohydrates which are epimers or have different glycosidic linkage, although the electrophoretic migration is also involved in the separation mechanism.

  16. Combined effect of carnosol, rosmarinic acid and thymol on the oxidative stability of soybean oil using a simplex centroid mixture design.

    PubMed

    Saoudi, Salma; Chammem, Nadia; Sifaoui, Ines; Jiménez, Ignacio A; Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob; Piñero, José E; Bouassida-Beji, Maha; Hamdi, Moktar; L Bazzocchi, Isabel

    2017-08-01

    Oxidation taking place during the use of oil leads to the deterioration of both nutritional and sensorial qualities. Natural antioxidants from herbs and plants are rich in phenolic compounds and could therefore be more efficient than synthetic ones in preventing lipid oxidation reactions. This study was aimed at the valorization of Tunisian aromatic plants and their active compounds as new sources of natural antioxidant preventing oil oxidation. Carnosol, rosmarinic acid and thymol were isolated from Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus capitatus by column chromatography and were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance. Their antioxidant activities were measured by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. These active compounds were added to soybean oil in different proportions using a simplex-centroid mixture design. Antioxidant activity and oxidative stability of oils were determined before and after 20 days of accelerated oxidation at 60 °C. Results showed that bioactive compounds are effective in maintaining oxidative stability of soybean oil. However, the binary interaction of rosmarinic acid and thymol caused a reduction in antioxidant activity and oxidative stability of soybean oil. Optimum conditions for maximum antioxidant activity and oxidative stability were found to be an equal ternary mixture of carnosol, rosmarinic acid and thymol. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Primordial soup was edible: abiotically produced Miller-Urey mixture supports bacterial growth.

    PubMed

    Xie, Xueshu; Backman, Daniel; Lebedev, Albert T; Artaev, Viatcheslav B; Jiang, Liying; Ilag, Leopold L; Zubarev, Roman A

    2015-09-28

    Sixty years after the seminal Miller-Urey experiment that abiotically produced a mixture of racemized amino acids, we provide a definite proof that this primordial soup, when properly cooked, was edible for primitive organisms. Direct admixture of even small amounts of Miller-Urey mixture strongly inhibits E. coli bacteria growth due to the toxicity of abundant components, such as cyanides. However, these toxic compounds are both volatile and extremely reactive, while bacteria are highly capable of adaptation. Consequently, after bacterial adaptation to a mixture of the two most abundant abiotic amino acids, glycine and racemized alanine, dried and reconstituted MU soup was found to support bacterial growth and even accelerate it compared to a simple mixture of the two amino acids. Therefore, primordial Miller-Urey soup was perfectly suitable as a growth media for early life forms.

  18. Polyamine replacement by magnesium ions in BHK-21/C13 cells

    PubMed Central

    Melvin, Maureen A. L.; Keir, Hamish M.

    1979-01-01

    Cultures of BHK-21/C13 cells, whose growth was inhibited by deprivation of serum, were stimulated to grow by addition of serum to the culture medium. Addition of MgCl2 to the medium, to increase the concentration of Mg2+ ions by 15mm, 30min before addition of serum, had no effect on the stimulation of cell growth, but inhibited the accumulation of cellular spermidine, so that the spermidine/spermine molar ratio was lower in these cultures than in cultures that had received no additional cations. The increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase that occurs 4–5h after serum `step-up' was substantially diminished by increasing the concentration of Mg2+ ions, but not of Na+ or K+ ions, in the medium by 30mm, 30min before addition of serum, and this inhibition was maintained for at least 24h. Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), added to serum-deprived cultures to a concentration of 20μm, 30min before addition of serum, severely inhibited the increase in cell growth. The inhibitory effects of the drug were prevented by simultaneous addition of spermidine to the medium (to 100μm), and were partly prevented by the simultaneous addition of Mg2+ ions (to 30mm). Mg2+ ions were particularly effective in overcoming the inhibitory effect of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on the synthesis of DNA. Thus although a certain lack of specificity for cations exists in BHK-21/C13 cells, in that Mg2+ ions can be substituted for polyamines, particularly spermidine, to some extent, there are cellular processes for which the requirement for polyamines as cations is specific. PMID:444220

  19. Toxicity of naphthenic acid fraction components extracted from fresh and aged oil sands process-affected waters, and commercial naphthenic acid mixtures, to fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos.

    PubMed

    Marentette, Julie R; Frank, Richard A; Bartlett, Adrienne J; Gillis, Patricia L; Hewitt, L Mark; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V; Brunswick, Pamela; Shang, Dayue; Parrott, Joanne L

    2015-07-01

    Naphthenic acids (NAs) are constituents of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). These compounds can be both toxic and persistent and thus are a primary concern for the ultimate remediation of tailings ponds in northern Alberta's oil sands regions. Recent research has focused on the toxicity of NAs to the highly vulnerable early life-stages of fish. Here we examined fathead minnow embryonic survival, growth and deformities after exposure to extracted NA fraction components (NAFCs), from fresh and aged oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), as well as commercially available NA mixtures. Commercial NA mixtures were dominated by acyclic O2 species, while NAFCs from OSPW were dominated by bi- and tricyclic O2 species. Fathead minnow embryos less than 24h old were reared in tissue culture plates terminating at hatch. Both NAFC and commercial NA mixtures reduced hatch success, although NAFCs from OSPW were less toxic (EC50=5-12mg/L, nominal concentrations) than commercial NAs (2mg/L, nominal concentrations). The toxicities of NAFCs from aged and fresh OSPW were similar. Embryonic heart rates at 2 days post-fertilization (dpf) declined with increasing NAFC exposure, paralleling patterns of hatch success and rates of cardiovascular abnormalities (e.g., pericardial edemas) at hatch. Finfold deformities increased in exposures to commercial NA mixtures, not NAFCs. Thus, commercial NA mixtures are not appropriate surrogates for NAFC toxicity. Further work clarifying the mechanisms of action of NAFCs in OSPW, as well as comparisons with additional aged sources of OSPW, is merited. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. The effects of genetic manipulation of putrescine biosynthesis on transcription and activities of the other polyamine biosynthetic enzymes

    Treesearch

    Andrew F. Page; Sridev Mohapatra; Rakesh Minocha; Subhash C. Minocha

    2007-01-01

    We have studied the effects of overproduction of putrescine (Put) via transgenic expression of a mouse ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene on the expression of native genes for four enzymes involved in polyamine biosynthesis in hybrid poplar (Populus nigra x maximowiczii) cells. An examination of the transcript levels of arginine...