Publications by authors named "Theodore S Widlanski"

We demonstrated previously that BK (K(Ca)1.1) channel activity (NP(o)) increases in response to bisphenol A (BPA). Moreover, BK channels containing regulatory β1 subunits were more sensitive to the stimulatory effect of BPA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lipid metabolism is critical to coordinate organ development and physiology in response to tissue-autonomous signals and environmental cues. Changes to the availability and signaling of lipid mediators can limit competitiveness, adaptation to environmental stressors, and augment pathological processes. Two classes of lipids, the N-acyl amides and the 2-acyl glycerols, have emerged as important signaling molecules in a wide range of species with important signaling properties, though most of what is known about their cellular functions is from mammalian models.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

'Spice' is an herbal blend that has been reported to produce cannabis-like effects when smoked and is marketed as an alternative to marijuana. Synthetic additives have been identified in numerous 'Spice' preparations from different sources. Common among many of the preparations were the compounds JWH018 and a dimethyloctyl variant of CP47,497 (CP47,497-C8) and, more recently JWH073.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The interactions of chemokines with their G protein-coupled receptors play critical roles in the control of leukocyte trafficking in normal homeostasis and in inflammatory responses. Tyrosine sulfation is a common post-translational modification in the amino-terminal regions of chemokine receptors. However, tyrosine sulfation of chemokine receptors is commonly incomplete or heterogeneous.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sulfation of tyrosine is a common posttranslational modification of secreted proteins that influences numerous physiological and pathological processes. Studies of tyrosine sulfation have been hindered by the difficulty of introducing sulfate groups at specific positions of peptides and proteins. Here we report a general strategy for synthesis of peptides containing sulfotyrosine at one or more specific position(s).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

N-Arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) is an endogenous lipid that modulates signal transduction in neuronal and immune pathways. NADA activates the non-selective cation channel, transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV(1)) and cannabinoid receptor 1. That NADA is comprised of an arachidonic acid (AA) backbone suggests that it may be metabolized through many of the enzymes that act upon AA such as the other AA-derived signaling lipids, the endogenous cannabinoids.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This overview summarizes methodology used for the synthesis of nucleoside mono-, di-, and triphosphates. Selected techniques such as the Mitsunobu reaction, displacement reactions involving nucleoside 5'-tosylates, "anion-exchange" techniques, and phosphoramidite and phosphoramidate methodologies are highlighted. The chemistry of phosphorylation is detailed with respect to advantages and limitations under various conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used plasticizer whose estrogenic properties may impact hormone-responsive disorders and fetal development. In vivo, BPA appears to have greater activity than is suggested by its estrogen receptor (ER) binding affinity. This may be a result of BPA sulfation/desulfation providing a pathway for selective uptake into hormone-responsive cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A comprehensive approach to the synthesis of sulfate esters was developed. This approach permits the direct and high-yielding synthesis of protected sulfate monoesters. Subsequent deblocking to reveal sulfate monoesters is accomplished in near-quantitative yield.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[reaction: see text] Because of side-reactions encountered during hydrogenolysis, benzyl ethers are usually not an effective protecting group for nucleosides. Benzyloxycarbamates provide an alternative to traditional benzyl ethers for protection of nucleoside hydroxyl groups, as they are much more labile to hydrogenolysis. Deprotection conditions using transfer hydrogenolysis are described that avoid the reduction of the pyrimidine nucleobase during deblocking of O-Cbz-protected nucleosides.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this communication, we report the first determination of 34S kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for the hydrolysis of sulfate monoesters. The method involves the conversion of the inorganic sulfate, acquired at partial extent of reaction, to SO2, followed by isotope ratio determination by mass spectrometry. The KIEs determined for p-nitrophenyl sulfate and p-acetylphenyl sulfate are 1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Presented here is the first report on the ability of cerium(III) chloride to mediate high-yielding and, oftentimes, highly diastereoselective additions of N-benzyl-alpha, N-dilithio methanesulfonamide to aldehydes and ketones of biological importance. Smooth addition was effected to base-sensitive substrates such as Fmoc-protected alaninal, citral, 5-cholesten-3-one, uridine 5'-aldehyde, 3'-ketouridine, and 3'-ketothymidine. The reaction was chemoselective for aldehydes in the presence of nitriles.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF