Structural revision of sesbagrandiflorains A and B, and synthesis and biological evaluation of 6-methoxy-2-arylbenzofuran derivatives.

Sesbagrandiflorains A (1) and B (2), isolated from the stem bark of the Indonesian fabaceous plant Sesbania grandiflora, were reported to be 6-methoxy-2-(2´,3´-dihydroxy-5´-methoxyphenyl)-1-benzofuran-3-carbaldehyde and 6-hydroxy-2-(2´,3´-dihydroxy-5´-methoxyphenyl)-1-benzofuran-3-carbaldehyde, respectively. However, based on reevaluation of their 1D and 2D NMR data, the chemical structures of 1 and 2 have been revised to 4-hydroxy-2-(4´-hydroxy-2´-methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxybenzofuran-3-carbaldehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-(4´-hydroxy-2´-hydroxyphenyl)-6-methoxybenzofuran-3-carbaldehyde, respectively. In addition, seven new derivatives of 1 have been synthesized from the natural product in good yields (65 - 93%).

Expression of COUP-TF-interacting protein 2 (CTIP2) in mouse skin during development and in adulthood.

COUP-TF-interacting protein 2 (CTIP2), also known as Bcl11b, is a transcriptional regulatory protein that is highly expressed in and plays a critical role(s) during development of T lymphocytes and the central nervous system. We demonstrate herein that CTIP2 is also highly expressed in mouse skin during embryogenesis and in adulthood as revealed by immunohistochemical analyses. CTIP2 expression in the ectoderm was first detected at embryonic day 10.

Loss of alpha6 integrins in keratinocytes leads to an increase in TGFbeta and AP1 signaling and in expression of differentiation genes.

Mice lacking the alpha6 integrin chain die at birth with severe skin blistering. To further study the function of alpha6 integrin in skin, we generated conditionally immortalized cell lines from the epidermis of wild-type and alpha6 deficient mouse embryos. Mutant cells presented a decreased adhesion on laminin 5, the major component of the basement membrane in the skin, and on laminins 10/11 and 2.