Exceptionally potent inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase: The enzyme responsible for degradation of endogenous oleamide and anandamide

The development of exceptionally potent inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme responsible for the degradation of oleamide (an endogenous sleep-inducing lipid), and anandamide (an endogenous ligand for cannabinoid receptors) is detailed. The inhibitors may serve as useful tools to clarify the role of endogenous oleamide and anandamide and may prove to be useful therapeutic agents for the treatment of sleep disorders or pain. The combination of several features—an optimal C12–C8 chain length, π-unsaturation introduction at the corresponding arachidonoyl Δ8,9/Δ11,12 and oleoyl Δ9,10 location, and an α-keto N4 oxazolopyridine with incorporation of a second weakly basic nitrogen provided FAAH inhibitors with Kis that drop below 200 pM and are 102–103 times more potent than the corresponding trifluoromethyl ketones.

The nuclear receptor PXR is a lithocholic acid sensor that protects against liver toxicity

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is the molecular target for catatoxic steroids such as pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile (PCN), which induce cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) expression and protect the body from harmful chemicals. In this study, we demonstrate that PXR is activated by the toxic bile acid lithocholic acid (LCA) and its 3-keto metabolite. Furthermore, we show that PXR regulates the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis, transport, and metabolism of bile acids including cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (Cyp7a1) and the Na+-independent organic anion transporter 2 (Oatp2). Finally, we demonstrate that activation of PXR protects against severe liver damage induced by LCA. Based on these data, we propose that PXR serves as a physiological sensor of LCA, and coordinately regulates gene expression to reduce the concentrations of this toxic bile acid. These findings suggest that PXR agonists may prove useful in the treatment of human cholestatic liver disease.

Enantioselective direct aldol reaction of α-keto esters catalyzed by (Sa)-binam-D-prolinamide under quasi solvent-free conditions

(Sa)-Binam-D-prolinamide (20 mol%), instead of (Sa)-binam-L-prolinamide, in combination with chloroacetic acid (100 mol%) is an efficient organocatalyst for the direct aldol reaction between α-keto esters as electrophiles and alkyl and α-functionalised ketones, under quasi solvent-free conditions, providing access to highly functionalised chiral quaternary γ-keto α-hydroxyesters with up to 92% ee.

Facile crystallization of Escherichia coli ketol-acid reductoisomerase

Ketol-acid reductoisomerase (EC 1.1.1.86) catalyses the second reaction in the biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids. The reaction involves an Mg2+-dependent alkyl migration followed by an NADPH-dependent reduction of the 2-keto group. Here, the crystallization of the Escherichia coli enzyme is reported. A form with a C-terminal hexahistidine tag could be crystallized under 18 different conditions in the absence of NADPH or Mg2+ and a further six crystallization conditions were identified with one or both ligands. With the hexahistidine tag on the N-terminus, 20 crystallization conditions were found, some of which required the presence of NADPH, NADP(+), Mg2+ or a combination of ligands. Finally, the selenomethionine-substituted enzyme with the N-terminal tag crystallized under 15 conditions. Thus, the enzyme is remarkably easy to crystallize. Most of the crystals diffract poorly but several data sets were collected at better than 3.2 Angstrom resolution; attempts to phase them are currently in progress.

Electron transfer in acetohydroxy acid synthase as a side reaction of catalysis. implications for the reactivity and partitioning of the carbanion/enamine form of (alpha-hydroxyethyl)thiamin diphosphate in a "nonredox" flavoenzyme

Acetohydroxy acid synthases (AHAS) are thiamin diphosphate- (ThDP-) and FAD-dependent enzymes that catalyze the first common step of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis in plants, bacteria, and fungi. Although the flavin cofactor is not chemically involved in the physiological reaction of AHAS, it has been shown to be essential for the structural integrity and activity of the enzyme. Here, we report that the enzyme-bound FAD in AHAS is reduced in the course of catalysis in a side reaction. The reduction of the enzyme-bound flavin during turnover of different substrates under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was characterized by stopped-flow kinetics using the intrinsic FAD absorbance. Reduction of enzyme-bound FAD proceeds with a net rate constant of k' = 0.2 s(-1) in the presence of oxygen and approximately 1 s(-1) under anaerobic conditions. No transient flavin radicals are detectable during the reduction process while time-resolved absorbance spectra are recorded. Reconstitution of the binary enzyme-FAD complex with the chemically synthesized intermediate 2-(hydroxyethyl)-ThDP also results in a reduction of the flavin. These data provide evidence for the first time that the key catalytic intermediate 2-(hydroxyethyl)ThDP in the carbanionic/enamine form is not only subject to covalent addition of 2-keto acids and an oxygenase side reaction but also transfers electrons to the adjacent FAD in an intramolecular redox reaction yielding 2-acetyl-ThDP and reduced FAD. The detection of the electron transfer supports the idea of a common ancestor of acetohydroxy acid synthase and pyruvate oxidase, a homologous ThDP- and FAD-dependent enzyme that, in contrast to AHASs, catalyzes a reaction that relies on intercofactor electron transfer.

(Table T1) N-alkane, n-alcohol and n-fatty acid concentrations in ODP Site 184-1147 and 184-1148 sediments

Lipid compositions of sediments recovered during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 184 in the South China Sea have been identified and quantified. The identified lipids can be ascribed to terrigenous and marine sources. Terrigenous lipids are mainly C27, C29, C31 n-alkanes, C26, C28, C30 n-fatty acids, and n-alcohols, which were derived from leaf waxes of higher land plants and transported to the sea by airborne dust or fresh water. Marine lipids, mainly C37 and C38 alkenones, C30 diol, and C30 and C32 keto-ols, were from microalgae, notably haptophytes and eustigmatophytes. Elevated concentrations and accumulation rates of both terrigenous and marine lipids in the interval 202-245 meters composite depth (mcd) and 0-166 mcd were postulated to be related to the development of the East Asian monsoon at 6-8 Ma and enhanced variations of the developed East Asian monsoon after 3.2 Ma, respectively. The pronounced late Oligocene input of terrigenous lipids reflects the paleoenvironment of a newly opened, narrow basin, with restricted ocean waters and the proximity of continental runoff.

Aroylhydrazone Cu(II) complexes in keto form: structural characterization and catalytic cctivity towards cyclohexane oxidation

The reaction of the Schiff base (3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-hydroxybenzohydrazide (H3L) with a copper(II) salt of a base of a strong acid, i.e., nitrate, chloride or sulphate, yielded the mononuclear complexes [Cu(H2L)(NO3)(H2O)] (1), [Cu(H2L)Cl]center dot 2MeOH (2) and the binuclear complex [{Cu(H2L)}(2)(mu-SO4)]center dot 2MeOH (3), respectively, with H2L- in the keto form. Compounds 1-3 were characterized by elemental analysis, Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, Electrospray Ionisation-Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) and single crystal X-ray crystallography. All compounds act as efficient catalysts towards the peroxidative oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, under mild conditions. In the presence of an acid promoter, overall yields (based on the alkane) up to 25% and a turnover number (TON) of 250 (TOF of 42 h(-1)) after 6 h, were achieved.

No evidence for association of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene T2119C and C3161G amino acid substitution variants with risk of breast cancer

Background There is evidence that certain mutations in the double-strand break repair pathway ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene act in a dominant-negative manner to increase the risk of breast cancer. There are also some reports to suggest that the amino acid substitution variants T2119C Ser707Pro and C3161G Pro1054Arg may be associated with breast cancer risk. We investigate the breast cancer risk associated with these two nonconservative amino acid substitution variants using a large Australian population-based case–control study. Methods The polymorphisms were genotyped in more than 1300 cases and 600 controls using 5' exonuclease assays. Case–control analyses and genotype distributions were compared by logistic regression. Results The 2119C variant was rare, occurring at frequencies of 1.4 and 1.3% in cases and controls, respectively (P = 0.8). There was no difference in genotype distribution between cases and controls (P = 0.8), and the TC genotype was not associated with increased risk of breast cancer (adjusted odds ratio = 1.08, 95% confidence interval = 0.59–1.97, P = 0.8). Similarly, the 3161G variant was no more common in cases than in controls (2.9% versus 2.2%, P = 0.2), there was no difference in genotype distribution between cases and controls (P = 0.1), and the CG genotype was not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (adjusted odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval = 0.85–1.98, P = 0.2). This lack of evidence for an association persisted within groups defined by the family history of breast cancer or by age. Conclusion The 2119C and 3161G amino acid substitution variants are not associated with moderate or high risks of breast cancer in Australian women.