[Investigation of Mechanism of Creming-down Phenomenon and Development of High-order Functions Using Tea Catechins].

An aqueous solution of 2,3-cis gallate type catechin (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) and caffeine afforded a precipitate of Creaming-down Phenomenon, which crystallized slowly for about three months to give a colorless block crystal. By X-ray crystallographic analysis, the crystal was determined to be a 2 : 2 complex of EGCg and caffeine, in which caffeine molecules were captured in a hydrophobic space formed with three aromatic A, B, and B' rings of EGCg. It was considered that the solubility of the 2 : 2 complex in water rapidly decreased and the 2 : 2 complex precipitated from aqueous solution.

A method for determination of aldosterone concentrations of six adrenal venous serum samples during a single LC/ESI-MS/MS run using a sextet of Girard reagents.

The accurate quantification of aldosterone (ALD) in adrenal tributary venous serum/plasma collected by a super-selective adrenal venous sampling (ssAVS) technique has become a definitive procedure to identify the forms (laterality) of primary aldosteronism (PA) and the location of the affected segment(s), and to subsequently make the treatment decision. In this study, a stable isotope-dilution LC/ESI-MS/MS-based method was developed and validated for the determination of the ALD concentrations of the six ssAVS serum samples during a single run. A sextet of Girard reagents was used to convert ALD to the derivatives having different masses for each sample.

Molecular Capture and Conformational Change of Diketopiperazines Containing Proline Residues by Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate in Water.

The addition of an aqueous solution of diketopiperazine cyclo(Pro-Xxx) (Xxx: amino acid residue) to an aqueous solution of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) led to precipitation of the complex of EGCg and cyclo(Pro-Xxx). The molecular capture abilities of cyclo(Pro-Xxx) using EGCg were evaluated by the ratio of the amount of cyclo(Pro-Xxx) included in the precipitates of the complex with EGCg to that of the total cyclo(Pro-Xxx) used. Stronger hydrophobicity of the side chain of the amino acid residue of cyclo(Pro-Xxx) led to a higher molecular capture ability.

Development of High-Order Functions Using (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate in Water.

The high-order functions of molecular capture and chiral recognition of tea gallated catechins (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) in water were investigated. A solution of equimolar amounts of a variety of heterocyclic compounds and EGCg in water afforded adhesive precipitates containing the heterocyclic compounds and EGCg at a molar ratio of 1 : 1, based on the integrated value of NMR proton signals. The molecular capture abilities of a variety of heterocyclic compounds using EGCg from the aqueous solutions were evaluated with the ratios of the heterocyclic compounds included in the precipitates of EGCg complex to the total heterocyclic compounds used.

Targeting Myeloid-Specific Integrin α9β1 Improves Short- and Long-Term Stroke Outcomes in Murine Models With Preexisting Comorbidities by Limiting Thrombosis and Inflammation.

Rationale: Currently, there is no effective intervention available that can reduce brain damage following reperfusion. Clinical studies suggest a positive correlation between the increased influx of neutrophils and severity of brain injury following reperfusion. Integrin α9β1 is highly expressed on activated neutrophils and contributes to stable adhesion, but its role in stroke outcome has not been demonstrated to date.

Molecular Capture Using the Precipitate of Creaming-Down by (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate.

An aqueous solution of equimolecular amounts of 2-chloropyrimidine and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) afforded a colorless block crystal, which was determined to be a 2 : 2 complex of 2-chloropyrimidine and EGCg by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The 2 : 2 complex was formed by the cooperative effect of three intermolecular interactions, π-π and CH-π interactions, and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Upon formation of the 2 : 2 complex, a 2-chloropyrimidine molecule was captured by a hydrophobic space formed by the three aromatic rings of A, B, and B' rings of two EGCg molecules.

High ophiobolin A production in endophytic fungus sp. associated with .

Ophiobolin A, a metabolite of fungi, is known to induce cell death and have anticancer activity. Therefore, obtaining ophiobolin A has become an important aspect in studying activity with medicinal properties that are affected by it. Ophiobolin A-producing filamentous fungi are endophytic or infectious microbes that attack annual and short-cycle plants.

Chiral Recognition of Pharmaceuticals Having a Xanthine Skeleton by (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate in Water.

A mixture of pharmaceuticals having a xanthine skeleton, theophylline, proxyphylline, diprophylline and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) in water created a sticky precipitates, which were thought to be 2 : 2 complexes of the pharmaceuticals and EGCg. The molecular capture ability of the pharmaceuticals having a xanthine skeleton by EGCg was estimated by the amount of the pharmaceuticals included in the precipitates of the complexes, and measured by the integrated value of proton signals in the quantitative H-NMR spectra. Based on changes in chemical shifts of proton signals of the pharmaceuticals with a xanthine skeleton in H-NMR spectra by adding standard amounts of EGCg, the xanthine skeleton of the pharmaceuticals was considered to exist in the hydrophobic space formed by the three aromatic A, B, B' rings of EGCg, and a part of the proxyphylline and diprophylline side chains existed out of the hydrophobic space.

Regulatory phosphorylation of poly-γ-glutamic acid with phosphate salts in the culture of Bacillus subtilis (natto).

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) was easily phosphorylated by direct addition of phosphorylating agents into the culture medium of Bacillus subtilis (natto). Tetrapolyphosphate salt was the most incorporated into PGA molecules of all used reagents. Phosphorylation occurred at the α-carboxyl side chains of PGA molecule.

Feasible protein aggregation of phosphorylated poly-γ-glutamic acid derivative from Bacillus subtilis (natto).

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) was modified with phosphorylating agents such as sodium metaphosphate and potassium metaphosphate in the culture medium of Bacillus subtilis (natto). The highly phosphorylated PGA derivatives were prepared and investigated for their chemical and physicochemical properties. The PGA derivatives had approximately 7% (W/W) inorganic phosphorus and characteristic absorbance PO bands at 1082cm and 1260cm by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

A Cleanup Method for Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Sphingosine- and Ceramide-1-Phosphate in Blood and Solid Tissue Using a Phosphate Capture Molecule.

Cleanup technology and mass spectrometric determination of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) using a phosphate capture molecule are shown. The protocol is rapid, requires neither thin-layer chromatography nor liquid chromatography, and is applicable to both blood and solid tissue samples. The mass spectrometric method is also applicable to ceramide-1-phosphate.

Mechanism of Creaming Down Based on Chemical Characterization of a Complex of Caffeine and Tea Catechins.

The component of a precipitate resulting from creaming down, which was made from caffeine and a catechin mixture, was determined by an integrated value of H2 proton signals of tea catechins in the quantitative (1)H-NMR spectrum. The results showed that gallate-type catechins formed a precipitate by creaming down more predominantly than non-gallate-type catechins. X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the gallate-type catechin (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg), (-)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate (ECg) formed 2 : 2 and 2 : 4 complexes with caffeine, respectively, and the non-gallate-type catechin (-)-epicatechin (EC) and caffeine formed a 1 : 1 complex.

Chiral Recognition of Diketopiperazine Cyclo(Pro-Gly) and Propranolol Using (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate.

In the (1)H-NMR spectrum of a solution containing an equimolecular amount of cyclo(L-Pro-Gly), cyclo(D-Pro-Gly) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) in a D2O, a difference in the chemical shift of (1)H-NMR signal for H7α, H7β,8α of the Pro residue was observed. Judging from the crystal structures of the 2 : 2 complexes of EGCg and cyclo(L-Pro-Gly), cyclo(D-Pro-Gly), the difference in the chemical shift resulted mainly from a magnetic anisotropic shielding effect by the ring current from the B ring of EGCg. Therefore, it was considered that chirality of cyclo(Pro-Gly) was recognized by EGCg in the D2O solution.

Dual selective nitration in Arabidopsis: Almost exclusive nitration of PsbO and PsbP, and highly susceptible nitration of four non-PSII proteins, including peroxiredoxin II E.

Protein tyrosine nitration is a selective process, as revealed in studies of animals. However, evidence for selective protein nitration in plants is scarce. In this study, Arabidopsis plants were exposed to air with or without nitrogen dioxide at 40 ppm for 8 h in light.

Properties of precipitate of creaming down by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate and caffeine.

An aqueous solution of equimolecular amounts of gallated catechin (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) and caffeine afforded a crude precipitate by creaming, which crystallized slowly for about three months at 10°C to give a colorless block crystal. The crystal was determined to be a 2 : 2 complex of EGCg and caffeine by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The 2 : 2 complex was formed with the cooperative effect of three intermolecular interactions, π-π and CH-π interactions, and intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

Characteristics of α-L-arabinofuranosidase from Streptomyces sp I10-1 for production of L-arabinose from corn hull arabinoxylan.

Streptomyces sp I10-1 α-L-arabinofuranosidase efficiently produced L-arabinose from high arabinose-content corn hull arabinoxylan (ratio of arabinose to xylose, 0.6). The optimum pH at 40 °C was around 6, and the enzyme was stable from pH 5 to 11.

Characterization of creaming precipitate of tea catechins and caffeine in aqueous solution.

The content of a crude precipitate formed by creaming, which was made from a catechin mixture and caffeine, was investigated by an integral volume of H-2 proton signals of tea catechins in the (1)H-NMR spectrum. Gallated catechins formed a crude precipitate more predominantly than non-gallated catechins. The 2,3-cis-non-gallated catechin (-)-epicatechin (EC) formed a 1:1 complex with caffeine, and 2,3-cis-gallated catechin (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECg) formed a 2:4 complex with caffeine.

Influence of gallate and pyrogallol moieties on the intestinal absorption of (-)-epicatechin and (-)-epicatechin gallate.

Unlabelled: The cellular accumulation of individual catechins was measured as an index of intestinal absorption to clarify the interactions among catechins. The cellular accumulation of (-)-epicatechin (EC) increased in the presence of other catechins. The ability of gallate catechin such as (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) to increase the cellular accumulation of EC was greater than that of nongallate catechins.

A cleanup method for mass spectrometry of sphingosine-1-phosphate in blood and solid tissues using a phosphate capture molecule.

Cleanup technology and mass spectrometric determination of sphingosine-1-phosphate using a -phosphate capture molecule are shown. The protocol is rapid, requires neither thin-layer chromatography nor liquid chromatography, and is applicable to both blood and solid tissue samples.

PUFAs in serum cholesterol ester and oxidative DNA damage in Japanese men and women.

Background: PUFAs are susceptible to lipid peroxidation and play a role in inflammation, both of which can induce oxidative stress. However, the relation of PUFA to oxidative DNA damage in humans is elusive.

Objective: We examined the association between concentrations of circulatory PUFAs and urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) in Japanese men and women.

The influence of glycyrrhiza and antibiotics on the purgative action of sennoside a from Daiokanzoto in mice.

Daiokanzoto (DKT), a Kampo medicine that includes the combination of two crude drugs (rhubarb and glycyrrhiza), is clinically effective for constipation. The aim of this study is to clarify the influence of glycyrrhiza, three glycyrrhiza constituents (glycyrrhizin, liquiritin, and liquiritin apioside), and eight antibiotics on the purgative action of DKT, rhubarb, or sennoside A, a constituent of rhubarb, in mice. The purgative actions of rhubarb and sennoside A were significantly intensified when glycyrrhiza was co-administered orally to mice.

Microbial conversion of curcumin into colorless hydroderivatives by the endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. associated with Curcuma longa.

We investigated the microbial conversion of curcumin (1) using endophytic fungi associated with the rhizome of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae). We found that Diaporthe sp., an endophytic filamentous fungus, converts curcumin (1) into four colorless derivatives, namely (3R,5R)-tetrahydrocurcumin (2), a novel (3R,5S)-hexahydrocurcumin (3) named neohexahydrocurcumin, (3S,5S)-octahydrocurcumin (4) and meso-octahydrocurcumin (5).