Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in memory consolidation and synaptic activity, the most fundamental functions of the brain. It converts arachidonic acid to prostaglandin endoperoxide H2. In contrast, if over-expressed, it causes inflammation in response to cytokine, pro-inflammatory molecule, and growth factor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenerally, it is believed that alpha,beta-dehydroamino acid residues are most stable in the Z- form rather than in the E- form. In this study, it has been shown that poly-DeltaAbu exists in alternate Delta(E)Abu and Delta(Z)Abu form, with phi, psi values of approximately 0 degrees , 80 degrees and 35 degrees , 27 degrees for the E- and Z- forms, respectively, rather than the all Z- form. The conformational results for the peptides Ac-DeltaAbu(2)-NHMe and Ac-L/D-Ile-Delta(Z)Abu/Delta(E)Abu-NHMe suggest the incorporation of DeltaAbu in both the Z- and E- forms, which is consistent with the available observations in natural systems.
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