The anti-allergic drug, N-(3',4'-dimethoxycinnamonyl) anthranilic acid, exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in arthritis.

Objectives: The degradation of tryptophan by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase yields a number of immunomodulatory metabolites, including 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenic acid and quinolinic acid. N-(3',4'-dimethoxycinnamonyl) anthranilic acid (3,4-DAA) is a synthetic anthranilic acid derivative that has been used therapeutically in Japan for many years as an anti-allergic drug and has recently been shown to be effective in a murine model of multiple sclerosis.

Methods: In the present study, we tested the efficacy of 3,4-DAA in collagen-induced arthritis, a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis, and analysed its mechanism of action.

A metabolic link between S-adenosylhomocysteine and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in Alzheimer's disease.

There is evidence that vascular risk factors contribute to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Increased concentrations of circulating homocysteine are associated with vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease but the mechanisms involved are unclear. Homocysteine inhibits the hydrolysis of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) which is a product inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) dependent methyltransferase reactions.

Treatment of autoimmune neuroinflammation with a synthetic tryptophan metabolite.

Local catabolism of the amino acid tryptophan (Trp) by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is considered an important mechanism of regulating T cell immunity. We show that IDO transcription was increased when myelin-specific T cells were stimulated with tolerogenic altered self-peptides. Catabolites of Trp suppressed proliferation of myelin-specific T cells and inhibited production of proinflammatory T helper-1 (T(H)1) cytokines.

Simvastatin prevents 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced striatal dopamine depletion and protein tyrosine nitration in mice.

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder involving the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. There is increasing evidence that inflammation plays a role in the propagation of neurodegenerative processes in Parkinson's disease. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties, in mice treated with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).

Increased homocysteine and decreased adenosine formation in Alzheimer's disease.

Vascular risk factors increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Increased concentrations of circulating homocysteine are associated with vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Homocysteine inhibits the hydrolysis of S-adenosylhomocysteine leading to a decrease in the intracellular adenosine concentration.

Increased (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations and decreased nitric oxide concentrations in the plasma of patients with major depression.

Background: (E)-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a highly electrophilic end-product of lipid peroxidation. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS). ADMA is metabolised by dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH).

Homocysteine increases the production of asymmetric dimethylarginine in cultured neurons.

Increased circulating concentrations of homocysteine may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive dysfunction in normal aging. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS). ADMA is metabolized in neurons by the enzyme dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH).

Increased concentrations of homocysteine and asymmetric dimethylarginine and decreased concentrations of nitric oxide in the plasma of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Vascular risk factors increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Increased concentrations of circulating homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of both vascular disease and Alzheimer's disease. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase.

The effect of increased concentrations of homocysteine on the concentration of (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

There is evidence that increased blood concentrations of homocysteine may be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a neurotoxic product of lipid peroxidation that is increased in the ventricular fluid and brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. We measured the concentrations of homocysteine, HNE, vitamin B(12) and folate in the plasma of 27 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 25 control subjects.

The role of (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in platelet activation by low density lipoprotein and iron.

(E)-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a highly reactive product of the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) which increases the platelet aggregation response to various agonists. HNE formation was increased during the enhanced platelet aggregation to thrombin, ADP. A23187 and epinephrine in the presence of LDL.

(E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal may be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

(E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a toxic end-product of the free radical-stimulated peroxidation of phospholoipid-bound arachidonic acid in cell membranes. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that free radicals may play an important role in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. HNE is highly electrophilic and is conjugated to reduced glutathione (GSH) by glutathione S-transferase.

Determination of the lipid peroxidation product (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in clinical samples by gas chromatography--negative-ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry of the O-pentafluorobenzyl oxime.

(E)-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a highly reactive product of the free radical-stimulated lipid peroxidation of phospholipid-bound arachidonic acid in cellular membranes. We describe a sensitive and specific method for the determination of HNE in clinical samples. The method is based on the formation of the O-pentafluorobenzyl (O-PFB) oxime derivative of HNE, which is then extracted and cleaned up by solid-phase extraction.

The effect of cholesterol oxidation products on human platelet aggregation.

The cholesterol oxidation products (oxysterols) cholest-3,5-diene-7-one, cholestan-5 alpha, 6 alpha-epoxy-3 beta-ol (cholesterol 5 alpha-epoxide), cholestan-5 beta, 6 beta-epoxy-3 beta-ol (cholesterol 5 beta-epoxide), cholest-5-ene-3 beta-ol-7-one (7-ketocholesterol), cholest-5-ene-3 beta, 7 alpha-diol (7 alpha-hydroxycholesterol), cholestan-3 beta, 5 alpha, 6 beta-triol (cholestane triol), and cholest-5-ene-3 beta, 26-diol (27-hydroxycholesterol) potentiated platelet aggregation and increased thromboxane A2 formation in platelets challenged with thrombin, ADP or collagen. These effects were observed at oxysterol concentrations in the range 5-100 microM. Cholesterol 5 beta-epoxide and 7-ketocholesterol increased the mobilization of 3H-arachidonic acid from prelabelled platelet phospholipids in response to thrombin and collagen.

Elemental changes in atherosclerotic lesions using nuclear microscopy.

The roles of iron and other trace metals in the aetiology of heart and brain diseases has been a subject of keen research because of the ability of metal ions to participate in reactions involving free radicals, which have been implicated in many of these diseases. Unstained freeze dried tissue sections from the aorta of New Zealand white rabbits fed with a 1% cholesterol diet for 12 weeks were scanned with a 2 MeV proton beam using the National University of Singapore nuclear microscope facility. Results from 6 test and 4 control rabbits show that there is an average of seven-fold increase in iron and an average of nearly two-fold increase in phosphorus in the atherosclerotic lesion compared with healthy tissue.

Low-density lipoproteins inhibit histamine and NaNO2 relaxations of the coronary vasculature and reduce contractile function in isolated rat hearts.

In the present study we examined the action of native and oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) on coronary vascular and cardiac function and ultrastructure in rat hearts perfused isovolumically in the Langendorff mode. Responses of the coronary resistance vessels to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator, histamine, and the endothelium-independent vasodilator, NaNO2, were measured together with contractile function (rate-pressure product) before and after perfusion for 20 min with native - or oxidized-LDL at a concentration of 100 mu g protein/ml. Ultrastructural damage was assessed via electron microscopy of perfusion-fixed heart specimens.

New imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine ligands for peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors on mitochondria and monocytes.

Several 6-chloro-2,3-disubstituted imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines, selected from a number of synthetic imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazines which lacked significant binding activity at central benzodiazepine receptors, potently inhibit [3H]diazepam, [3H]Ro5-4864 and [3H]PK11195 binding to rat kidney mitochondrial membranes. In membrane preparations from cultures of THP-1 cells, a human monocytic leukaemia cell line, the isoquinoline carboxamide PK11195 is strongly bound but the benzodiazepine ligands, diazepam and Ro5-4864, are much more weakly bound. The imidazopyridazine compounds which bind strongly to mitochondrial benzodiazepine receptors are very potent displacers of [3H]PK11195 bound to the THP-1 membranes.

Dipyridamole inhibits the oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein.

The oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is believed to play an important role in the initiation of the atherosclerotic lesion. Dipyridamole, which is used clinically as a coronary vasodilator and an antiplatelet agent, has antioxidant properties. Probucol is a lipid-lowering agent which inhibits the oxidative modification of LDL.

Effects of the lipid peroxidation product (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal on ram sperm function.

(E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is a lipid peroxide end-product which exerts powerful biological effects in a variety of cell and tissue systems. The effects of exogenous HNE on ram spermatozoa were examined in vitro. HNE inhibited the motility of diluted ram spermatozoa in a dose-dependent (100-400 mumol l-1) manner (P < 0.

Occurrence of (E)-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in plasma and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

(E)-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), a cytotoxic propagation product of lipid peroxidation, is present in the synovial fluid (0.54 (0.19) mumol/l; mean (SE), n = 9) and plasma (0.

Effect of anethole dithiolthione on human platelet aggregation.

Anethole dithiolthione (ADT) (10 mumol/l) inhibited platelet aggregation and the formation of thromboxane (Tx)B2 in plasma in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), epinephrine and arachidonic acid (AA). ADT partially inhibited platelet aggregation and TxB2 formation in plasma induced by thrombin, phorbol myristate acetate and calcium ionophore A23187 and increased the lag time of collagen-induced aggregation at concentrations in the range 10-40 mumol/l. ADT (100 mumol/l) completely inhibited the aggregation of washed platelets challenged with thrombin.

Content of significant amounts of a cytotoxic end-product of lipid peroxidation in human semen.

(E)-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), a cytotoxic end-product of lipid peroxidation, is present in significant amounts in human semen (0.902 +/- 0.190 microM; mean +/- s.

Effects of acrolein on human platelet aggregation.

Acrolein, a component of tobacco smoke, potentiated platelet aggregation and increased thromboxane A2 (TXA2) formation caused by thrombin and arachidonic acid (AA). Acrolein produced these effects at concentrations in the range 50-5000 microM. Acrolein had no effect on platelet responses to ADP, epinephrine, collagen or the ionophore A23187.

Platelet activation by oxidatively modified low density lipoproteins.

Interactions between altered lipoproteins and platelets may be important in atherosclerosis lesion formation and thrombosis. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of oxidatively modified and native low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) on platelet responses in the presence and absence of other platelet agonists, and investigate the mechanism(s) by which lipoproteins influence platelet activation. We have shown that native and oxidatively modified lipoproteins differ importantly in their effects on platelets; oxidation renders lipoproteins more reactive to platelets.

Determination of the lipid peroxidation product trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography and combined capillary column gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry.

trans-4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is an aldehyde end-product of lipid peroxidation in biological systems which is capable of producing a range of powerful biological effects. We wish to describe a sensitive and selective strategy for the determination of HNE in biological samples. The method is based on the formation of the O-pentafluorobenzyl (O-PFB) oxime derivatives of HNE and its deuterated internal standard which, after sample clean-up by solid-phase extraction and purification by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were derivatised further to trimethylsilyl ethers.

Effect of 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal on platelet function.

4-Hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (HNE), an aldehyde end-product of lipid peroxidation, potentiated aggregation and increased thromboxane A2 formation in platelets challenged with ADP, thrombin or the ionophore A23187. These effects were observed at HNE concentrations in the range 10-100 microM. Platelet responses to collagen, epinephrine and arachidonic acid were not affected by HNE.