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Cytochrome P450 selectively hydroxylates the ω and ω-1 positions of fatty acids. Among synthetic oxidizing catalysts, Suslick’s bis-pocket porphyrin Mn or Fe complex achieved ω oxidation for the fi...

Peptides are attractive drug candidates, but their utility is greatly limited by their inherent susceptibility to proteolytic degradation and their inability to pass through the cell membrane. Here, we employ a strategy of temporary cyclization to develop a cell-active lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1A) inhibitor peptide. We first identified a highly potent LSD1-inhibitory linear peptide, with the assistance of X-ray crystal structure data of inhibitor peptide-bound LSD1·CoREST. The peptide was converted to a redox-activatable cyclic peptide incorporating cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), expecting selective activation under intracellular reducing conditions. The cyclic peptide moiety exhibited enhanced stability to protease and was converted to the linear, unmodified LSD1 inhibitor peptide under reducing conditions. The cyclic peptide with CPP inhibited the proliferation of human acute myeloid leukemia cells (HL-60) in the low micromolar concentration range.

We previously reported on the preparation of supramolecular complexes by the 2:2:2 assembly of a dinuclear Zn2+-cyclen (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) complex having a 2,2&prime, bipyridyl linker equipped with 0~2 long alkyl chains (Zn2L1~Zn2L3), 5,5-diethylbarbituric acid (Bar) derivatives, and a copper(II) ion (Cu2+) in aqueous solution and two-phase solvent systems and their phosphatase activities for the hydrolysis of mono(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate (MNP). These supermolecules contain Cu2(&mu, OH)2 core that mimics the active site of alkaline phosphatase (AP), and one of the ethyl groups of the barbital moiety is located in close proximity to the Cu2(&mu, OH)2 core. The generally accepted knowledge that the amino acids around the metal center in the active site of AP play important roles in its hydrolytic activity inspired us to modify the side chain of Bar with various functional groups in an attempt to mimic the active site of AP in the artificial system, especially in two-phase solvent system. In this paper, we report on the design and synthesis of new supramolecular complexes that are prepared by the combined use of bis(Zn2+-cyclen) complexes (Zn2L1, Zn2L2, and Zn2L3), Cu2+, and Bar derivatives containing amino acid residues. We present successful formation of these artificial AP mimics with respect to the kinetics of the MNP hydrolysis obeying Michaelis&ndash, Menten scheme in aqueous solution and a two-phase solvent system and to the mode of the product inhibition by inorganic phosphate.

[Image: see text] Based on the idea that compounds designed to exhibit high affinity for heme would block hemozoin formation, a critical heme-detoxification process for malarial parasites, we synthesized a series of compounds with two π-conjugated moieties at terminal amino groups of triamine. These compounds exhibited moderate to high antimalarial activities in vitro toward both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. In a P. berghei-infected mouse model, 3a and 12a showed potent antimalarial activities compared to artesunate, as well as a prolonged duration of antimalarial effect. We found a good correlation between protective activity against hemin degradation and antimalarial activity. Compounds 8b and 3a strongly inhibited hemozoin formation catalyzed by heme detoxification protein.

In this review, we introduce the development of supermolecules, host-guest complexes, and metal complexes formed from the combination of non-covalent interactions and/or coordination bonds, as well as their biological applications. An adenine selective host molecule 1 provides a correctly oriented array of complementary hydrogen bonding sites for the adenine nucleobase. Furthermore, the new DDAA (D: hydrogen bond donor, A: hydrogen bond acceptor) module 4 and ADDA module 7 have been developed as quadruple hydrogen-bonding modules. A quadruple zwitterion 8 forms supramolecular gel in dimethyl sulfoxide, driven by the formation of ion-paired dimers between the zwitterionic units. The obtained supramolecular gel exhibits reversible gel-sol transitions in response to both acid, base, and heating. Self-assembly of a dimeric zinc(II) complex, dianion of cyanuric acid (CA) or 5,5-diethylbarbituric acid (Bar), and copper(II) ion (Cu2+) in an aqueous solution provides 4 : 4 : 4 and 2 : 2 : 2 supermolecules 10 and 11, respectively. These supermolecules possess Cu2(μ-OH)2 centers, and accelerate the hydrolysis of a phosphate monoester dianion, mono(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate (MNP), at neutral pH. Regioselective substitution reactions of tris-cyclometalated iridium (Ir) complexes at the 5'-position on 2-phenylpyridine type ligands, and their subsequent conversions to a variety of functional groups are described. For example, pH-sensitive Ir complexes having basic functional groups have been developed. Tris-cyclometalated Ir complexes containing cationic peptides, such as Lys-Lys-Gly-Gly (KKGG) peptides, work as inducers and detectors of cancer cell death. Mechanistic studies suggest that the Ir complex interacts with anionic molecules on the cell surface and/or membrane receptors to trigger an intracellular Ca2+ response, resulting in necrosis accompanied by membrane disruption.

Two new oxylipins, arabidopsides C (1) and D (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Arabidopsis thaliana, and the structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated using spectroscopic data, primarily NMR and MS, and chemical means. Arabidopsides C (1) and D (2) are rare digalactosyl diacylglycerides containing 12-oxophytodienoic acid and/or dinor-oxophytodienoic acid. Arabidopside D (2) and arabidopsides A (3) and B (4), which were also isolated from this plant, exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of the root of cress (Lepidium sativum) seedlings at 5 x 10(-5) mol/L.

Arabidopside A isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana is a rare oxylipin, containing 12-oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA) and dinor-oxophytodienoic acid (dn-OPDA) which are known as precursors of jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The senescence-promoting effect of arabidopside A was examined by an oat (Avena sativa) leaf assay under dark or continuous light condition. Arabidopside A promoted senescence of oat leaves, and the promoting activity was more effective than for JA and OPDA, and as strong as for MeJA, which was well known to be a senescence promoter. These results suggest that arabidopside A plays important roles in leaf senescence.

Two new oxylipins, arabidopsides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Arabidopsis thaliana, and their structures and absolute stereochemistries were elucidated by spectroscopic data and chemical means. Arabidopsides A (1) and B (2) were rare monogalactosyl diacylglycerides containing 12-oxophytodienoic acid and/or dinor-oxophytodienoic acid.

A new oxylipin, arabidopside F (1) was isolated from the aerial parts of Arabidopsis thaliana, together with MGDG-O (2), arabidopsides A (3) and B (4). The structure of arabidopside F (1) was elucidated by spectroscopic data and chemical means. Arabidopside F (1) was a rare monogalactosyl diacylglyceride containing dinor-oxophytodienoic acid and 1 exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of the root of cress (Lepidium sativum L.) seedlings at 5x10 -5 mol/L.