Involvement of Pacific oyster CgPGRP-S1S in bacterial recognition, agglutination and granulocyte degranulation.

Peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP) recognizes invading bacteria through their peptidoglycans (PGN), a component of the bacterial cell wall. Insect PGRPs contribute to effective immune systems as inducers of other host defense responses, while this function has not been reported from PGRP of bivalves. In this study, recombinant CgPGRP-S1S (rCgPGRP-S1S), produced in the mantle and the gill, was synthesized and used to elucidate the immunological function of CgPGRP-S1S.

Cancer chemopreventive effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), in Raji cells as a primary screening test for anti-tumor promoters, for 22 fatty acids (as free and esterified forms), including 10 di- and polyunsaturated acids, and the inhibitory effects on activation of (+/-)-(E)-methtyl-2-[(E)-hydroxy-imino]-5-nitro-6-methoxy-3-hexemide (NOR 1), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, as a primary screening test for anti-tumor initiators, for 17 fatty acids (as methyl ester forms), were evaluated. Among the fatty acids tested, three n-3 polyunsaturated acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), exhibited potent inhibitory effects both on EBV-EA and NOR 1 activation. Furthermore, DHA methyl ester exhibited remarkable anti-tumor-promoting activity on an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test of mouse tumor using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) as an initiator and TPA as a promoter.

Chalcones, coumarins, and flavanones from the exudate of Angelica keiskei and their chemopreventive effects.

From an ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the exudate obtained from the stems of Angelica keiskei (Umbelliferae), 17 compounds, viz. five chalcones (1-5), seven coumarins (6-12), three flavanones (13-15), one diacetylene (16), and one 5-alkylresorcinol (17), were isolated. These compounds were evaluated with respect to their inhibitory effects on the induction of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells, which is known to be a primary screening test for antitumor-promoters.

Sterol ferulates, sterols, and 5-alk(en)ylresorcinols from wheat, rye, and corn bran oils and their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus activation.

Sterol ferulate, free sterol, and 5-alk(en)ylresorcinol constituents of wheat, rye, and corn bran oils were studied. Among the sterol ferulates, one novel compound, 24-methylenecholestanol ferulate (7), along with six known compounds, namely, 24-methylcholestanol ferulate (1), 24-methylcholesterol ferulate (2), 2-methyllathosterol ferulate (3), stigmastanol ferulate (4), sitosterol ferulate (5), and schottenol ferulate (6), were isolated and characterized. Five known free sterols, namely, 24-methylcholesterol (8), stigmastanol (9), sitosterol (10), schottenol (11), and stigmasterol (12), were isolated and identified.