The soy-derived peptide Vglycin inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Vglycin, a novel natural polypeptide isolated from pea seeds, possesses antidiabetic properties. Our previous studies have shown that Vglycin can induce the differentiation of human colon adenocarcinoma cells. We aimed to determine the anticancer activity of Vglycin against colon cancer cells and to elucidate related apoptosis-inducing mechanisms.

Metal-free (Boc)2O-mediated C4-selective direct indolation of pyridines using TEMPO.

Direct metal-free C-4-selective indolation of pyridines is achieved for the first time using TEMPO and (Boc)2O. A variety of substituents on both indoles and pyridines are tolerated to give 3-(pyridin-4-yl)-1H-indole derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. This finding provides a novel approach for developing metal-free C-H functionalization of pyridines.

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 alleviates liver disease of BALB/c mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum.

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) plays an important role in various inflammatory conditions. Our previous study demonstrated that AIF-1 was over-expressed in the liver of BALB/c mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum and played significant role in the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis. The aim of this study was to focus on the effect of AIF-1 treatment on liver fibrosis and necrosis of BALB/c mice infected with S.

An ATPase inhibitory peptide with antibacterial and ion current effects.

An 84-residue bactericidal peptide, PSK, was purified from a Chrysomya megacephala fly larvae preparation. Its amino acid sequence is similar to that of a previously reported larval peptide of the Drosophila genus (SK84) noticed for its anticancer and antimicrobial properties. The PSK sequence is also homologous to mitochondrial ATPase inhibitors from insects to humans (35-65% sequence identity), indicating an intracellular protein target and possible mechanism for PSK.

Cu(II)-catalyzed highly regio- and stereoselective construction of C-C double bonds: an efficient method for the ketonization-olefination of indoles.

A general and efficient method for the cross-coupling of indoles with β-keto esters by using TEMPO/CuSO4·5H2O in air as oxidant has been developed. This reaction features high functional-group compatibility and an excellent selectivity. This methodology provides an alternative approach for the ketonization-olefination of indoles in moderate to good yields.

Role of AIF-1 in the regulation of inflammatory activation and diverse disease processes.

Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1 (AIF-1) is a 17kDa cytoplasmic, calcium-binding, inflammation-responsive scaffold protein that is mainly expressed in immunocytes. AIF-1 influences the immune system at several key points and thus modulates inflammatory diseases. AIF-1 boosts the expression of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and promotes inflammatory cell proliferation and migration.

Daintain/AIF-1 (allograft inflammatory factor-1) promotes erythrocyte lysis and heme release probably via binding to hemoglobin.

Free heme is potentially cytotoxic, particularly in the presence of oxidants or activated phagocytes. Daintain/AIF-1 (allograft inflammatory factor-1) is a macrophage factor that has been implicated in the regulation of inflammation. In the present study, daintain/AIF-1 was found to induce cytolysis of erythrocytes, resulting in heme release in vitro.

(Z)-1,4-Diphenyl-but-1-en-3-ynyl acetate.

The title compound, C(18)H(14)O(2), is almost planar with a dihedral angle of 1.24 (2)° between the phenyl-ethynyl and styryl groups. The acet-oxy group is tilted by 82.

Metal-free catalyzed oxidative trimerization of indoles by using TEMPO in air: a biomimetic approach to 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,3'-biindolin-3-ones.

A simple, convenient and efficient metal-free catalyzed oxidative trimeric reaction of indoles toward a variety of 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,3'-biindolin-3-one derivatives in moderate to excellent yields has been developed. This transformation proceeds via a tandem oxidative homocoupling reaction by using TEMPO in air as an environmentally benign oxidant. This methodology provides an alternative approach for the direct generation of all-carbon quaternary centers at the C3 position of indoles.

Daintain/AIF-1 (Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1) accelerates type 1 diabetes in NOD mice.

A large body of experimental evidence suggests that cytokines trigger pancreatic β-cell death in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Daintain/AIF-1 (Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1), a specific marker for activated macrophages, is accumulated in the pancreatic islets of pre-diabetic BB rats. In the present study, we demonstrate that daintain/AIF-1 is released into blood and the levels of daintain/AIF-1 in the blood of type 1 diabetes-prone non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice suffering from insulitis are significantly higher than that in healthy NOD mice.

Expression, purification, and characterization of functional recombinant human daintain/AIF-1 in Escherichia coli.

Daintain/AIF-1 was identified from injured rat carotid arteries and porcine intestine in the mid 1990s. It is involved in autoimmune disorders, chronic rejection of allografts, gliomas, and breast cancer. Since it is convenient and economical to obtain such a peptide biologically, in this study, we describe the expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant human daintain/AIF-1 (rhdaintain/AIF-1).

17β-Estradiol increased the expression of daintain/AIF-1 in RAW264.7 macrophages.

We investigated the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the expression of daintain/AIF-1, a marker of activated macrophages, in RAW264.7. E2 upregulated the protein and mRNA levels of daintain/AIF-1 in similar manners under physiological concentrations of 10(-11) M to 10(-7) M.

Isolation, characterization and anti-cancer activity of SK84, a novel glycine-rich antimicrobial peptide from Drosophila virilis.

We report herein the isolation and characterization of a novel glycine-rich antimicrobial peptide purified from the larvae of Drosophila virilis. A range of chromatographic methods was used for isolation and its antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis was employed to screen for the most active fractions. The peptide, termed SK84 due to its N-terminal serine, C-terminal lysine and a total of 84 residues, was completed sequenced using RT-PCR cDNA cloning.

Daintain/AIF-1 promotes breast cancer proliferation via activation of the NF-kappaB/cyclin D1 pathway and facilitates tumor growth.

Recent research indicates that inflammatory factors play important roles in the initiation and progression of cancers, including breast cancer. Daintain/allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is a crucial mediator in the inflammatory response, but it has not yet been reported whether daintain/AIF-1 is involved in the development of breast cancers. In this study, immunohistochemical analysis found strong positive expression of daintain/AIF-1 in breast ductal tumor epithelia, but only weakly positive or negative expression in the adjacent histologically normal ductal epithelia.

The effect of pea albumin 1F on glucose metabolism in mice.

Pea albumin 1F (PA1F), a plant peptide isolated from pea seeds, can dramatically increase blood glucose concentration by subcutaneous injection with a dosage of 5 or 10 microg/g (body weight) in normal and type II diabetic mice (KK/upj-Ay). The voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC-1) has been identified as the PA1F binding protein from mice pancreatic cell membrane, which may be involved in the regulation of enhancing blood glucose in response to PA1F binding. The results clearly show that peptide-signaling molecules from plants can affect mammalian physiological functions, especially, in association with glucose metabolism.

Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibodies against recombinant human thioredoxins.

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a member of the thioredoxin protein family and has a conserved catalytic domain (-Trp-Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys-Lys-) with reduction/oxidation (redox) activity. There are two main members in this family, Trx-1, a cytosolic and nuclear form, and Trx -2, a mitochondrial form. Trx-1 is a 104 amino acid multifunctional protein that has been extensively studied.

Nuclear thioredoxin-1 is required to suppress cisplatin-mediated apoptosis of MCF-7 cells.

Different cell line with increased thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) showed a decreased or increased sensitivity to cell killing by cisplatin. Recently, several studies found that the subcellular localization of Trx-1 is closely associated with its functions. In this study, we explored the association of the nuclear Trx-1 with the cisplatin-mediated apoptosis of breast cancer cells MCF-7.

PA1b, a plant peptide, induces intracellular [Ca2+] increase via Ca2+ influx through the L-type Ca2+ channel and triggers secretion in pancreatic beta cells.

Using alginic acid to adsorb polypeptides at pH 2.7, we isolated a peptide pea albumin 1b (PA1b) from pea seeds. The PA1b is a single chain peptide consisting of 37 amino acid residues with 6 cysteines which constitutes the cystine-knot structure.

Preparation of monoclonal antibodies against insulin and their applications.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against insulin are useful for insulin assays because of their specificity and plentiful supply. We have produced four monoclonal cell strains stably secreting the monoclonal antibodies against insulin; further established subpopulation, titer, affinity; and identified the antibodies as being of subclass IgG(2b)(kappa), one strain, or IgG(1)(kappa), three strains. The smallest detectable level of human insulin by ELISA using this IgG(1) was 1.

Activity of the plant peptide aglycin in mammalian systems.

A 37 residue peptide, aglycin, has been purified from porcine intestine. The sequence is identical to that of residues 27-63 of plant albumin 1 B precursor (PA1B, chain b) from pea seeds. Aglycin resists in vitro proteolysis by pepsin, trypsin and Glu-C protease, compatible with its intestinal occurrence and an exogenous origin from plant food.

3-tert-Butyl-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-phthalazin-1-yl 3,5-dimethyl-benzoate.

The title compound, C(21)H(22)N(2)O(3), was synthesized by the reaction of tert-butyl-hydrazine with phthalic anhydride and further O-benzoyl-ation of the resulting inter-mediate by 3,5-dimethyl-benzoyl chloride. Inter-molecular C-H⋯O=C inter-actions link the mol-ecules into layers.

[Purification and characterization of weak-acid antibacterial peptide MD7095 from Musca domestica larvae].

Musca domestica,which belongs to insecta, diptera, cyclorrhapha, muscidae, is the most common muscae and the richest resource. It is very significant and valuable to isolate antibacterial peptides from Musca domestica and to develop these peptides into antibacterial medicine. Due to purify a pure peptide from the natural materials (animal, plant and microorganism tissue) is very difficult and complex, few research is going on.

Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibodies against pea albumin 1b (PA 1b).

PA 1b (pea albumin 1b), extracted from pea seeds, is thermostable and is multifunctional. It has an attractive peros toxicity, and is also involved in the regulation of callus growth and cell proliferation. Here we report the preparation of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against this peptide for further investigation of peptide distribution and functions.

GIP1-39, a novel insulinotropic peptide form and aspects on its mechanism of action.

GIP1-39, a novel chain-length form of GIP (gastric inhibitory polypeptide or glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide), has been purified recently from porcine intestine and found to exist abundantly in this tissue. We have characterized that GIP1-39 is an insulinotropic peptide, and demonstrated that GIP1-39 is more potent in stimulating insulin secretion from rat pancreatic islets than GIP1-42, the insulinotropic polypeptide reported originally. Therefore, we have further investigated some aspects on the mechanism behind the insulinotropic effect of GIP1-39 in single rat pancreatic beta cells.